Hearing that russia is a principal threat. He also said he supports the Iran Nuclear Deal, which trump has repeatedly criticized. I think to publicly display what iran is up to, that their surrogates and proxies, their terrorist units that they support, to recognize the Ballistic Missile threat, to deal with the maritime threat, and to publicly make clear to everyone what theyre doing in the cyber realm all helps to constrain iran. Amy we will host a roundtable discussion with Andrew Bacevich, author of americas war for the greater middle east, trita parsi, president of the National IranianAmerican Council and author losing an enemy obama, iran, and the legacy of diplomacy, and with reporter aaron glantz, whose latest investigation asks did defense , secretary nominee james mattis commit war crimes in iraq . Then earlier this week, at another confirmation hearing this one for senator jeff , sessions as attorney general, the head of the Congressional Black Caucus slams the Senate Judiciary committee for making three black members of Congress Wait until the very end to testify. I want to express my concerns about being made to testify at the very end of the witness panels. To have a senator, a house member, and a living civil rights legend testify at the end of all of this is equivalent of being made to go to the back of the bus. Amy all that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The house of representatives is set to vote today on a measure that would pave the way for congress to quickly repeal the Affordable Care act, with no possibility of a filibuster by minority democrats in the senate. House Speaker Paul Ryan worked thursday to reassure republicans who are nervous about overturning president obamas Signature Health care law without a plan in place to replace it. Ryan can afford to see as many as 23 republicans defect and still pass a repeal measure. Todays house vote comes after senators narrowly approved a budget reconciliation bill to begin repealing the Affordable Care act during a marathon debate that lasted into the Early Morning hours thursday. The senate vote was 5148, with the entire Democratic Caucus opposed to a repeal. During the roll call, democrats rose onebyone to voice objections, prompting the presiding officer, colorado republican senator cory gardner, to object that they were out of order. Ms. Cantwell. This is not debate is not allowed during the vote. The senate will be an order. Ms. Cantwell no. Debate is not allowed during a vote. Mr. Kaine. No. Amy democrats say nearly 30 million americans stand to Lose Health Coverage if the Affordable Care act is repealed. Supporters of the law are planning rallies in more than 40 cities across the country. During wednesday nights senate session, more than a dozen democrats voted against an amendment that would have allowed pharmacists to import drugs from canada, often at a fraction of the cost paid in the u. S. The amendment was proposed by vermont senator bernie sanders. Sen. Sanders were the only major country not to negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry. So you can walk into a drugstore today and the price could be double or three times what you paid a year ago, and there is no law to stop them. They can and they will raise prices as high as the market will allow. And if people die as a result of that, not a problem for them. People get sick. Not a problem for them. Amy among the 13 democrats who voted against sanders amendment senator coryys booker, who earlier on wednesday testified against senator Jeff Sessions nomination to become attorney general. Campaign fillings show senator booker received more than 250,000 in Campaign Funds from pharmaceutical companies from 2010 to 2016. Elsewhere on capitol hill, the Senate Armed Services donald heard testimony on from thursday Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of defense. Retired general James Mad Dog Mattis said at his confirmation hearing russia remains the principal threat faced by the United States, taking a much harder line on russia than the president elect. With a long list of times we have tried to engage positively with russia. We have a relatively short list of successes in that regard. And i think right now the most important thing is that we recognize the reality of what we and weth with mr. Putin recognize he is trying to break the north atlantic alliance, and that we take he integrated steps, diplomatic economic, military, and the alliance steps , working with our allies, to defend ourselves where we must. Amy repeatedly called for the u. S. Military to be more lethal and said he supports the f 35 program, and other expensive weapons programs. Following his hearing, the senate voted to support a waiver exempting mattis from a law requiring defense secretaries to be civilians for at least seven years. Mattis retired from the military in 2013. The full house is slated to vote on the waiver today. Well have more on general mattis nomination for secretary of defense after headlines. The Senate BankingCommittee Heard testimony thursday from retired neurosurgeon ben carson, Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of housing and urban development. Under questioning from elizabeth warren, dr. Carson refused to say whether he would allow Donald Trumps company to profit from hud loans. Cox can you just assure us that not one dollar will go to benefit it are the president elect or his family . It will not be my intention to do anything to benefit any american. I understand that it is for all americans, everything that we do. Do i take that to mean that you may manage programs that will significantly benefit the president elect . You can take it to mean that i will manage things in a way that benefits the american people. That is going to be the goal. Amy dr. Carson also drew fire from civil Rights Groups over his response to a question about protections for lgbtq tenants in public housing. Carson said he would enforce federal antidiscrimination laws but said, i dont think anyone , should get extra rights. Donald trumps nominee for cia director on thursday reversed his position on torture, telling senators at his confirmation hearing waterboarding is illegal. Mike pompeo previously claimed such socalled enhanced interrogation tactics were constitutional. This is pompeo being questioned by california democrat dianne feinstein. If you were ordered by the president to restart the cias use of enhanced interrogation tech weeks that fall outside of the Army Field Manual, would you comply . Absolutely not. Moreover, i cannot imagine that i would be asked that by the president elect or thenpresident. Promised in aump debate last february to bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding. During his confirmation hearing thursday, congressman pompeo said he would continue monitoring irans compliance with a Nuclear Agreement brokered in 2015. He previously said he wanted the u. S. To immediately scrap the nuclear deal. Congressman pompeo is a strong proponent of expanding the prison at guantanamo. Hes called for the expansion of domestic surveillance and has called nsa whistleblower Edward Snowden a traitor who should be put to death. In other intelligence news, the National Security administration will share its vast archive of intercepted communications across all 17 u. S. Intelligence agencies without first filtering the data to protect personal information. Thats under new rules approved by director of National IntelligenceJames Clapper and attorney general loretta lynch. The New York Times reports the changes will give all 17 u. S. Spy agencies access to a vast trove of intercepted emails, phone calls, and satellite transmissions, many of which contain private communications of u. S. Citizens. Included are the fbi and Drug Enforcement administration, which focus on domestic intelligence. Previously, the nsa was required to filter out irrelevant personal information before sharing intercepted communications with other agencies. The former British Intelligence agent behind an unsubstantiated dossier about Donald Trumps activities and connections in russia has gone into hiding. Christopher steele left his home south of london on wednesday, after the wall street journal identified him as the author of the 35page memo alleging russias government has compromising information that it could use to blackmail the president elect. The memo was published by buzzfeed on tuesday, prompting outrage from donald trump and criticism from journalists who say the claims can not be verified. The british newspaper, the telegraph, quotes a friend of steele saying the former mi6 spy is terrified for his and his familys safety. Meanwhile, the Justice Departments Inspector General has opened a review of how the fbi handled an investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. Inspector general michael horowitzs office said thursday the wideranging probe will include scrutiny of fbi director james comey, who announced 11 days before the november election that he had reopened a probe into whether clinton mishandled classified information. The fbi cleared clinton of criminal charges just two days before election day. Many democrats, including former president bill clinton, have said comeys actions cost Hillary Clinton the presidency. Earlier this week, comey told the Senate Intelligence committee he could not comment on reports that the fbi launched an investigation into Donald Trumps ties to russia ahead of novembers election. That prompted many lawmakers to accuse comey of engaging in a double standard in support of donald trump. Donald trumps name former new york city mayor Rudolph Giuliani as his Administration TopCyber Security adviser. Giuliani said thursday he will accept the position, but wont step down as ceo of his Security Consulting firm giuliani partners. He also plans to remain chair of the cybersecurity practice at the law firm greenberg traurig. Speaking to politico on thursday, giuliani acknowledged he will be connecting Business Associates with president trump, but denied that presents a conflict of interest. Because giuliani will serve as a volunteer rather than a federal employee, his position wont be subject to federal ethics laws. Donald trump has named two more aides with ties to Goldman Sachs to Top White House positions. Anthony scaramucci, a top Trump Campaign fundraiser who began his wall street career at Goldman Sachs, will head the office of Public Engagement and intergovernmental affairs. And Goldman Sachs partner dina powell is expected to take a senior advisory role in the white house where shell work closely with Donald Trumps daughter ivanka. Scaramucci and powell will join at least three other former Goldman Sachs employees tapped for top jobs by the Trump Administration. Human rights watch released its annual report on thursday, warning that the rise of donald trump and european demagogues threatens human rights around the world. Human rights watch executive director ken roth cited trump as an example of a new generation of authoritarian populists. Trumps successful Residential Campaign vividly illustrated his politics of intolerance. Sometimes overtly, sometimes through code and indirection, he spoke to Many Americans discontent with stagnation and increasingly Multicultural Society in a way that breached basic visibles of dignity inequality. Amy roth said trumps rise has encouraged authoritarian leaders in countries including russia, turkey, the philippines, egypt and china. The Obama Administration thursday said it is ending it so far socalled wet foot, dry foot policy a move that cubans it will save lives. Under theicted longstanding policy, cubans interdicted at sea were returned to cuba, but those reaching dry land were allowed to stay and fasttracked for permanent resident status. Cuban officials have long opposed the approach, saying it encouraged cubans to risk a dangerous and often deadly ocean voyage to florida. In canada, indigenous activist neskonlith First Nations chief Arthur Manuel died wednesday at the age of 66. For decades, art manuel fought for indigenous land and human rights, most recently during a visit to the Standing Rock sioux reservation where water protectors are fighting the Dakota Access pipeline. In 2010, democracy now spoke with art manuel as he joined protests at the g20 summit in toronto. All around the world, there are like 370 million Indigenous People globally, you know . The United Nations passed the declaration called the human declaration on the rights of addition is people, 141 nations votedin favor, four against it. Canada, the United States, australia, and new zealand. Those are very key players in the g20 equation. Those are the people that the Indigenous People come to the streets to let the government know that you need to deal with indigenous issues, too. Amy and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Juan and im juan gonzalez. Welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. President elect Donald Trumps pick for secretary of defense, retired general James Mad Dog Mattis, testified thursday at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services committee. General mattis 41year career in the marine corp included field commands in the persian gulf war, iraq, and afghanistan and began when he enlisted at age 19. In iraq, he led u. S. Troops during the 2004 battle of fallujah, earning himself the nickname mad dog mattis. In may 2004, mattis ordered an attack on a small iraqi village that ended up killing about 42 people attending a wedding ceremony. Mattis went on to lead United StatesCentral Command from 2010 to 2013, but the Obama Administration cut short his tour over concerns mattis was too hawkish on iran, reportedly calling for a series of covert actions there. During thursdays confirmation hearing, mattis said russia was remains the principal threat facing the United States, taking a much harder line than trump. I would consider the principal threats to start with russia and it would certainly include any nations that are looking to intimidate nations around the periphery, regional nations nearby them, whether it be with weapons of mass ittruction or i would call unusual, and orthodox means of intimidating them unorthodox means of intimidating them. A the same time as the chairman erated out, we face now an where we are facing the terrorist threat. Were going to have to address that one. Juan general mattis repeatedly called for the u. S. Military to be more lethal, and also said he supports the Iran Nuclear Deal, which president elect donald trump has repeatedly criticized. Following his hearing, the senate voted to support a waiver exempting mattis from a law requiring defense secretaries to be civilians for at least seven years. Mattis retired from the military in 2013. The house Armed Services committee is slated to vote on it today. The full house is slated to vote on the waiver today. The only other time in u. S. History that this waiver has been granted was in 1950, when Cong