White House Testimony Sought on CIA Leak
“Rep. Henry A. Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, might ask White House officials to testify about their actions involving the CIA leak case, Democratic sources tell Politico. President Bush has resisted past calls for appearances by his advisers, so the request could provoke another showdown between the White House and the new Democratic Congress.” (The Politico)
Army’s Disability Benefits Stretched Thin
“The thousands of soldiers wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have overwhelmed the Army’s system for evaluating their eligibility for disability benefits, leading to a near-total failure to complete such reviews in a timely manner, the service’s inspector general concluded in a report released yesterday.The report also found that medical “hold” facilities lacked critical staff and formalized training for personnel caring for wounded soldiers, with more than half of unit commanders reporting ‘inadequate’ staffing.” (The Washington Post)
Walter Reed Scandal Downs Another Official
“The Armyâs top medical officer was forced into retirement Monday, yet another aftereffect of the disclosure of shoddy conditions for outpatients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The ousted officer, Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, the Army surgeon general, became the third high-ranking official to lose his job because of shabby living quarters and bureaucratic tangles endured by wounded troops returned from combat.” (The New York Times)
Dems Angle to Revamp Open Government Law
“House Democrats hope to breathe new life into open-government legislation, marking Sunshine Week with votes to protect whistle-blowers, smooth freedom of information requests and compel presidential libraries to disclose more about their donors. The House is to vote on as many as five bills coinciding with this week’s annual campaign by open-government advocates to draw attention to a need for accessibility and accountability in the fight against abuse and waste.” (Associated Press)
Secret Gitmo Hearings Held
“Secret hearings for two suspected masterminds of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and a third terror suspect were held over the weekend at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the military launched proceedings to determine whether 14 high-profile detainees should be prosecuted.” (Time)
Patriot Act Empowers Treasury Dep’t.
“Under a little-noticed provision in the USA Patriot Act, the Treasury Department has ordered severe restrictions against foreign banks or countries for reasons beyond the stated purpose of the law and without producing evidence. Section 311 of the 2001 Patriot Act was drafted to halt terrorist financing and money laundering, but the Bush administration has used it against an alleged source of terrorist financing – a bank in Syria – only once.” (McClatchy)
Medicaid Provision Has Unintended Victims
“A new federal rule intended to keep illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid has instead shut out tens of thousands of United States citizens who have had difficulty complying with requirements to show birth certificates and other documents proving their citizenship, state officials say.” (The New York Times)
Earmarks Bill Draws GOP’s Ire
“A group of House GOP ranking members is asking for clarification of the chamberâs new rules requiring lawmakers who request earmarks to certify that neither they nor their spouses have any financial interest in the requests. The recently enacted earmark reforms are part of Democratsâ efforts to regulate a process that played a role in a series of prominent corruption cases, most notably that of jailed ex-Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.)” (Roll Call)
