Is just over an hour and a half. I see that we have a quorum present. I really want to thank everybody for joining us, its an important issue that i now recognize myself for opening remarks. Pursuant to the notice, were holding a hearing to discuss the american lives on the line come lessons for managing the russia threat. Two weeks ago startling revelations that russia put bounties on american troops serving in afghanistan. This week in the Foreign Affairs committee weve been examining this egregious attack on americans and the Top Administration failure to handle it probably. Its important for the public to know this. Ive personally been involved in four earrings. This week alone that ive with this issue and that doesnt include the actions of other committees working on their own. I just want to underscore to people listening that they should know that we in concert taking over some of this matter very seriously. The one thing if we do nothing else, the most basic and fundamental dut
Was battling american troops in afghanistan and weve been examining this egregious attack on americans and the Trump Administrations failure to handle it appropriately. Itsimportant for the public to know this. Ive been involved in four hearings this week alone we dealt with this issue. That doesnt include the actions of other committees working on their own so i want to underscore to people listening that they should know that wein congress have taken oversight of this matter very seriously. Party politics and everything inside the one thing if we do nothing else one of the most basic and fundamental duties is to do everything in our power tokeep americans safe. We all went to the Service Members whose lives were lost in afghanistan. We owing to their families. We to every member of our military, to every american serving abroad puts their life on the line every day in service to our country. On tuesday the subcommittee heard from former us officials and experts on the kremlins networ
Into structured security. Later president ial envoy talks about President Trumps decision to withdraw u. S. Troops from syria and how it might impact u. S. National security. Treasury secretary steven minh mnuchin and housing sec. Ben carson on capitol hill to testify about access to a portal housing and finance reform option. Lawmakers heard testimony from the head of the federal Housing Finance agency and this hearing is under three hours. We will come to order. Without objection the chair is authorized to declare a recess for the committee at any time. This hearing is entitled the end of Affordable Housing, a review of the Trump Administrations plan to change Housing Finance in america. Before i recognize myself members, today is [inaudible]s birthday come back if anyone wishes to sing happy birthday please save it until later. [laughter] we all thank you for that. Happy birthday. We now recognize myself performing its given soft Opening Statement. Good morning. Today we are here to
Says it denies the president s constitutional right to due process is there such a thing as due process when it comes to impeachment quick. There is but not what the white house says so the best encapsulation is probably the memo the white House Counsel released publicly earlier this month that memo has set a couple of things first it confuses the phases of impeachment that happens in the house the charges being brought then it continues in the senate that is more of a trial there may be certain rights that attach that the memo from the counsels office says you need to mix those up so to assume that legal conclusion the president has done no wrong and says because the ukraine phone calls and evything else the president has done this is inherently illegitimate and then the white house will not cooperate but then that is against the constitution that allows the congress to do its responsibility. Host in that process the chief justice overseas that trial. During the indictment side on the
In america occupied by the National Guard after dr. King was assassinated because of the riots. And i became a county councilman almost by accident. I got elected to the United States senate when i had no mind of running at age 29, then Vice President to our first black president , now president to the first woman Vice President. [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause] in my career, i have been told i was too young. By the way, it did not let me out of senate elevators for votes sometimes on a joke. Ive been told i am too old. Whether young or old, i have always been known, i have always known endures. Ive known our northstar. The very idea of america is that we are all created equally and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. We have never fully lived up to that idea. And we have never walked away from it either. And i wont walk away from it now. I am optimistic. I really am. I am optimistic. [applause] my fellow americans, the issue facing our nation is not how old