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• United States Military Strategy in the Middle East, Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, October 27, 2015

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  This is the October 27, 2015 hearing on "United States Military Strategy in the Middle East" held before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of John McCain: "The tragic loss last week of Master Sergeant Joshua Walker, a veteran of 14 combat deployments, reminds us of the high stakes of our mission in the Middle East and how grateful we are to those Americans serving there. We need a strategy worthy of those who carry it out. And, unfortunately, we don't have that. What's worse, it appears the administration has not even defined the problem correctly. A policy Of 'ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] first' fails to understand that ISIL, for all of the threat it poses, is actually just a symptom of a deeper problem, the struggle for power and sectarian identity now raging across the Middle East, the epicenter of which is Iraq and Syria. That is why ISIL exists today with the strength that it does. And this problem will only get worse the longer this conflict rages on." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Ashton B. Carter and Joseph F. Dunford, Jr.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2015-10-27
• U.S. Military Operations to Counter the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, September 16, 2015

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  This is the September 16, 2015 hearing on "U.S. Military Operations to Counter the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)" held before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of John McCain: "The Senate Armed Services Committee meets today to receive testimony on the United States strategy and military operations to counter the Islamic State of Iraq in the Levant, or ISIL. I want to thank our witnesses, Under Secretary Wormuth and General Austin, for appearing before us today, and their continued service to our Nation. It's been 1 year -- it's been 1 year since President Obama spoke to the Nation about the threat posed by ISIL and increased U.S. military operations against us. Many of us believe that the goal the President laid out, quote, 'to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL' is right. Many of us agree with a military strategy that seeks to empower local forces in Iraq and Syria to combat ISIL with U.S. and coalition training, equipment, assistance, and airpower. One year into this campaign, it seems impossible to assert that ISIL is losing and that we are winning. And if you're not winning in this kind of warfare, you are losing. Stalemate is not success." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Christine E. Wormuth and Lloyd J. Austin III.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2015-09-16
• Air Force and Navy Nuclear Programs and the Implementation of Nuclear Enterprise Review Recommendations, Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, April 22, 2015

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  This is the stenographic transcript of the April 22, 2015 hearing "Air Force and Navy Nuclear Programs and the Implementation of Nuclear Enterprise Review Recommendations" held before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of Joe Donnelly: "Over a year ago, we had a failure in ethics for both the Air Force and Navy nuclear missions. For the Air Force, this involved cheating on ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] proficiency exams. For the Navy, it involved cheating on naval reactors proficiency exams. While integrity of the Air Force nuclear weapons was never compromised, it pointed to a readiness and morale problem associated with the demanding mission that Strategic Command requires and how the DOD has paid a lesser amount of attention to its nuclear mission. One may have varying opinions of nuclear weapons, but as long as they exist and other nations have them, it will remain, as Secretary Carter termed, as the bedrock of our defense posture. We cannot let this mission lapse." Statements, letters, and other materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Garrett Harencak, Stephen W. Wilson, Terry J. Benedict, Yisroel E. Brumer, and Madelyn R. Creedon.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2015-04-22
• War in Syria: Next Steps to Mitigate the Crises, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, May 17, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the May 17, 2016 hearing, "War in Syria: Next Steps to Mitigate the Crises," before the Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Robert S. Ford: "Thank you for the invitation to speak before the committee today about what new steps can be taken to mitigate the crisis in Syria. It is an honor to appear before you again. There is not much we the United States can do now to mitigate the crisis in Syria quickly. The fighting is too entrenched and bitterly sectarian; both the Syrian government and the armed opposition seek military victory instead of preparing their own ranks for tough, mutual compromises. Foreign nations are deeply involved - far more deeply than the United States - and they are committed to winning the conflict militarily. There is no magic American bullet. This is not to say there are not useful things the United States can and should do, but we are well past the point of a clearly identifiable path out of the conflict." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Robert S. Ford, Nancy Lindborg, and Tamara Cofman Wittes.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-05-17
• Situation in Afghanistan, Hearing Before the Senate Committee on Armed Services, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, October 6, 2015

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  This is a testimony compilation of the October 6, 2015 hearing on "Situation in Afghanistan" held before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of John McCain: "Fourteen years ago, U.S. forces went to Afghanistan because that was where, under the sanctuary of the Taliban regime, al-Qaeda planned and conducted initial training for the 9/11 attacks that killed 3,000 innocent civilians on American soil. Our mission was to ensure that Afghanistan would never again be a safe haven for al-Qaeda or other radical Islamist terrorists to attack us again. As General Petraeus told this Committee recently, that mission has been successful for fourteen years. American troops and civilians have made steady progress in supporting our Afghan partners to secure their country and dealt severe blows to al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups that want to attack the United States and our allies. At the same time, we have seen a remarkable progress in Afghan society -- more schools and more teachers; greater opportunities for women and girls in the classroom, in the workforce, and in positions of leadership; higher literacy, better roads, and wider use of cellphones. Life expectancy in Afghanistan has increased by 22 years in less than a generation -- a feat unparalleled in modern history." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John F. Campbell.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2015-10-06
• Review of Mercury Pollution's Impacts to Public Health and the Environment, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, April 17, 2012

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  This is the April 17, 2012 hearing on "Review of Mercury Pollution's Impacts to Public Health and the Environment" held before the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety of the Committee on Environment and Public Works. From the opening statement of Thomas R. Carper: "Today's Subcommittee hearing is focused, as we know, on mercury pollution and its impact on public health and on the environment. The colleagues will have 5 minutes for their opening statement, and I will then recognize our panel of witnesses. Each witness will have 5 minutes for their opening statement. Following the panel's statements, each Senator will have 5 minutes for questions. We may have a second round of questions if we have time. At 11 o'clock this morning there is going to be a vote, and the vote will be on whether to proceed to take up postal reform legislation, something that a few of us on this Committee have worked on long and hard. And so, we have got two things coming together at once and somehow we will figure out how to get it all done. Let me just say that I believe that is possible to have a clean environment and a strong economy. When I ran for Governor in Delaware in 1992, believe it or not the question I received most often was what is it going to be--are we going to recession, people would say, if you are elected Governor, is it going to be the economy or the environment, and I, my response, I would just say both. We do not have to make that choice; we can do both. And subsequently we made great gains in our State both in a cleaner environment and in terms of job creation." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jerome A. Paulson, Brenda Archambo, Susan Dudley, Jeffrey R. Holmstead, and Charles T. Driscoll.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2017
• Pipeline Safety: State and Local Perspectives, Field Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security, of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, September 18, 2015

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  This is the September 18, 2015 hearing on, "Pipeline Safety: State and Local Perspectives," held before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. From the opening statement of Deb Fischer: "Today's hearing will examine the importance of pipeline safety, particularly as it relates to rural areas. According to Pipeline Safety and Hazardous Materials Administrator (PHMSA), more than 2.5 million miles of pipelines cross through the United States. Half a million miles of pipeline transports natural gas, oil, and hazardous materials to critical infrastructure, including power plants, military bases, airports, or treatment facilities. Pipelines transport approximately 75 percent of our Nation's crude oil and 60 percent of our refined petroleum products. Accidents related to pipeline safety are often tremendous disasters that pose harm to the public and our sensitive natural resources. As many of you know, in 2011, a corroded pipeline spilled 63,000 gallons of crude oil into the Yellowstone River in Laurel, Montana. I understand that is not far from here. In 2010, a natural gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, California, killing eight people, injuring 60 people, and destroying 37 homes. This year in Glendive, Montana, the Poplar Pipeline spilled nearly 30,000 gallons of crude oil into the Yellowstone River." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jon Tester, Marie Therese Dominguez, Todd Denton, John Ostlund, and Michelle Slyder.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2016
• United States Special Operations Command: Hearing before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, May 4, 2017

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  This is a testimony compilation of the May 4, 2017 hearing "United States Special Operations Command" held before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of John McCain: "The purpose of today's hearing is to hear directly from the senior civilian and military leaders responsible for ensuring our special operations forces are trained, equipped, and ready to confront what is the most complex and daunting set of national security challenges our Nation has faced since the Second World War." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Theresa M. Whelan and Raymond A. Thomas III.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2017-05-04
• First Responder's Toolbox: Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED): Preparedness, Recognition, and Response

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  From the Document: "Terrorists may pursue efforts to use VBIEDs [Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device] to conduct mass-casualty attacks in the Homeland. We base this assessment on interest communicated via online platforms and in terrorist publications, as well as on previous VBIED-related incidents and attacks. VBIEDs are typically constructed using common vehicles found locally, making them inconspicuous and potentially difficult to detect just by observation. VBIEDs have been used effectively overseas, and previous attacks serve as examples of how they might be employed in the West. This product seeks to increase VBIED awareness among first responders to aid in preparedness, recognition, and response."

  National Counterterrorism Center (U.S.)

  Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team

  2018-07-10
• First Responder's Toolbox: Complex Operating Environment--Electric Grid

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  From the Document: "The US energy sector consists of three interrelated segments: electricity, oil, and natural gas. The reliance of virtually all industries on electric power and fuels means that all sectors have some dependence on the energy sector. Information sharing is key to ensuring the protection of the national electrical infrastructure (electric grid) since the majority of it is privately owned. [...] A prolonged electrical outage will cause cascading effects to all other sectors. Emergency managers, owners and operators, and public safety personnel are encouraged to develop plans in advance, communicate priorities, and understand the effects of operating and maintaining services to each sector in the event of a mid- to long-term incident."

  National Counterterrorism Center (U.S.)

  Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team

  2018-05-08
• First Responder's Toolbox: Complex Operating Environment--Shopping Malls

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  From the Document: "Shopping malls are typically readily accessible by the public, mass transit and delivery vehicles, they are frequented by large crowds, and they are likely considered appealing soft targets. The physical attributes, location, and operational and logistical considerations of shopping malls create security challenges for first responders and security stakeholders. Common mall characteristics include open-access layout, steady hours of operation, and crowds of various sizes depending on time of year, sales events, and special activities, such as concerts, pageants and expos."

  National Counterterrorism Center (U.S.)

  Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team

  2018-05-23
• Transition in Afghanistan, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, December 10, 2013

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  This is the December 10, 2013 hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, titled "The Transition in Afghanistan." From the opening statement of Robert Menendez: "In July, this committee met to assess the transition in Afghanistan. At the time, Mr. Ambassador, you had been on the job only 2 months. And, in looking over the transcript from that hearing, I was struck by how the issues remain virtually the same, 5 months later. I will look forward to hearing what both of you believe we should expect in the coming months, as well as your perspective on some broader issues I have with respect to the State Department and USAID's [United States Agency for International Development] planning for a post-2014 presence. Clearly, this is a critical time in the transition process. President Karzai has, in my view, unwisely decided to gamble with the lives of millions of his citizens with a delay in signing the Bilateral Security Agreement [BSA], testing our patience and threatening the progress made by so many Afghans, in partnership with the international community, since 2001. And I believe this brinksmanship is unwarranted and, frankly, insulting to the sacrifices made by the United States military and taxpayers, and it is not in Afghanistan's best interests. But, I do not think anyone should take my word for it. Ask the thousands of Afghans who participated in the Loya Jirga last month and overwhelmingly called for Afghanistan to sign the BSA. Ask leaders in the region who have called upon Afghanistan to sign. Ask Afghan civil society leaders, who, without a smooth and stable transition, stand to lose ground gained over the past decade. And ask the women of Afghanistan, who stand to lose the most if Afghanistan falls victim to the kind of violence we saw in the 1990s." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record are those of the following: Bob Corker, James Dobbins, Robert Menendez, and Donald L. Sampler.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2014
• Federal Response to the Recent Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Hearing Before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, Second Session, May 18, 2010

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  This is the May 18, 2010 hearing titled, "Federal Response to the Recent Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. This hearing details the various federal response efforts to the BP Deepwater Horizon rig explosion, including those by the EPA, the Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Civil Works branch of the U.S. Army. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Lisa Jackson, Nancy Sutley, Ken Salazar, Peter V. Neffenger, Jo-Ellen Darcy, and John Fernandez.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2017
• Oversight Hearing: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Preliminary Results of the Nuclear Safety Review in the United States Following the Emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant in Japan, Joint Hearing Before the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, United States Senate, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session, June 16, 2011

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  This is the June 16, 2011 joint oversight hearing titled, "Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Preliminary Results of the Nuclear Safety Review in the United States Following the Emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant in Japan," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety. From the opening statement of Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senator from California: "It has been over 3 months since Japan was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami. It is expected to take additional time before cold shutdown of all reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power will be achieved. The emergency in Japan serves as an important wake-up call for the United States and the rest of the world. [...] [T]he NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] is taking initial steps to reevaluate current assumptions about the safety and the security of nuclear power plants in the U.S. in light of what has happened in Japan. And these are the things that I am pleased about. The NRC's inspectors have inspected and issued reports on the 105 operating nuclear reactors and their readiness to address power losses or damage following extreme events. And the NRC is in the middle of a 90-day task force review of its processes and regulations in light of the events in Japan." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Gregory B. Jaczko, Kristine L. Svinicki, George Apostolakis, William D. Magwood, and William C. Ostendorff.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2017
• Oversight: Modernizing our Nation's Infrastructure, Hearing Before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, February 8, 2017

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  This is the February 8, 2017 hearing, "Oversight: Modernizing our Nation's Infrastructure," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. From the opening statement of John Barrasso: "President Trump has made improving our Nation's infrastructure a top priority. Infrastructure is critical to our Nation's prosperity. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has jurisdiction over our Nation's highways and roads, its locks and dams, and its ports. These things allow for American goods to go from the heartland to the coasts, and even overseas. They allow for flood protection for both rural and urban communities that save lives. In addition, our Committee has jurisdiction over the environmental laws that impact the modernization of infrastructure. Doesn't matter whether the setting is urban or rural; rules and regulations can halt and delay the modernization of infrastructure, and the impact is particularly counterproductive if they are applied without understanding the difference between urban and rural." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: William T. 'Bill' Panos, Michael McNulty, Cindy R. Bobbitt, Anthony P. Pratt, Shailen P. Bhatt.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2017
• Situation in Afghanistan, Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, February 9, 2017

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  This hearing compilation is from the February 9, 2017 hearing "Situation in Afghanistan" before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the statement of John McCain: "America has been at war in Afghanistan for more than a decade-and-a-half. But it is always worth remembering that American forces went to Afghanistan because that was where, under the sanctuary of the Taliban regime, al-Qaeda planned and trained for the September 11th attacks that killed 3,000 innocent civilians on American soil. Our mission was to ensure that Afghanistan would never again be a safe haven for al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups to attack America or our allies and partners. That mission has been successful for fifteen years, but it is not over. American forces are carrying out that mission today by performing two critical tasks: counterterrorism and training, advising, and assisting our Afghan partners. Both of these tasks are vital to achieving our strategic goals and protecting our homeland. We are taking the fight to America's enemies in Afghanistan while at the same time building a sustainable Afghan security force that can stand on its own, take on violent extremists, and deny terrorists safe haven in their country. [...] This new administration has the opportunity to turn the page and finally give our commanders the resources and authorities they need to seize the initiative and force the enemy to react, instead of the other way around. This will likely require additional U.S. and coalition forces and more flexible authorities." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John McCain, Jack Reed, and John W. Nicholson, Jr.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2017-02-09
• Global Efforts to Defeat ISIS, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, June 28, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the June 28, 2016 hearing "Global Efforts to Defeat ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]," before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Brett McGurk: "The fight against ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] is an unprecedented challenge. More than 40,000 foreign fighters have flowed into Syria over the past five years, swelling the ranks of violent extremist organizations, the most significant of which is ISIL. ISIL is determined to establish a state in Iraq and Syria, and instill terror around the world as part of a perverse agenda, whereby, according to their own ideology, anyone who disagrees with them should die. We have no choice but to defeat ISIL by taking away its territory in Iraq and Syria, severing its global networks, and suffocating its global affiliates. I will describe today the progress we are making in all of these areas, but this progress does not discount the significant threat that remains, and will remain, for years to come. [...] We analyze the ISIL challenge in three dimensions: the core in Iraq and Syria (its phony self-proclaimed 'caliphate'); the global networks (foreign fighter, financial, and messaging networks); and the global affiliates (eight in all, with some far more serious than others). Any successful campaign must address all three, and our global effort, anchored by a coalition of 66 partners, is designed to do just that. At the same time, the ISIL core remains its center of gravity, allowing ISIL to extract resources, recruit, and plan sophisticated external terrorist attacks, as we have seen in Paris and Brussels. Thus, we are focused first and foremost on shrinking the core, uprooting ISIL from the cities, towns, and villages under its control, and destroying its underlying infrastructure, including the human capital of its leaders, now being eliminated one-by-one." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Brett McGurk.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2016-06-28
• U.S. Strategy and Policy in the Middle East, Hearing Before the Committee on Armed Services, U.S. Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, January 20, 2016

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  This testimony compilation is from the January 20, 2016 hearing "U.S. Strategy and Policy in the Middle East" before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the statement of Committee Chairman John McCain: "All across the region, we see a dangerous breakdown of state authority and the balance of power. As Henry Kissinger testified before this Committee, 'There is a struggle for power within states, a conflict between states, a conflict between ethnic and religious groups and an assault on the international system.' And as General Petraeus also told us last year, almost every Middle Eastern country is n ow a battleground or a combatant in one or more wars. For the past seven years, the Obama Administration has sought to scale back America's involvement in, and commitment to, the region, assuming that a post-American Middle East would be good for the region and for us, and that regional powers would step up to police the region themselves. [...] Instead of acknowledging its failures and changing course, as previous administrations of both parties have done, the administration has all too often doubled down on its reactive, incremental, and inadequate policies." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John M. Keane, Ryan C. Crocker, and Phillip H. Gordon.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2016-01-20
• Iraq After Mosul, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifteenth Congress, First Session, February 28, 2017

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  This testimony compilation made by the HSDL staff is from the February 28, 2017 hearing, "Iraq After Mosul," before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the state of affairs in Iraq in light of the current campaign against the Islamic State in Mosul. Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Michael Knights and Hardin Lang.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2017-02-28
• Open/Closed: Situation in Afghanistan, Hearing Before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session February 12, 2015

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  This testimony compilation is from the February 12, 2015 hearing, "Open/Closed: Situation in Afghanistan," before the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. From the statement of John McCain, "The committee meets today to receive testimony on Afghanistan. And I want to thank General Campbell, the Commander of the Resolute Support Mission in U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, for appearing before us today about security conditions on the ground, the development of the Afghan National Security Forces, and the way forward. General, we've been blessed by a series of great military leaders of our forces and allied forces in Afghanistan, and you are a worthy successor to those outstanding leaders, in my view. According to a recent media report, the troop drawdown in Afghanistan is now, quote, 'under White House review.' But, as the White House deliberates, the current plan is set to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan to about 5,500, beginning in the middle of this year's fighting season. The plan was first announced by President Obama in May of 2014, before it was known that the Afghan presidential transition would require almost 6 months to conclude, before the appearance of ISIS [Islamic State] on the Afghan battlefield, and before Pakistan military operations sent 200,000 refugees from North Waziristan into Afghanistan." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John F. Campbell.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2015-02-12
• Putin's Invasion of Ukraine and the Propaganda that Threatens Europe, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, November 3, 2015

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  This is a testimony compilation from the November 3, 2015 hearing "Putin's Invasion of Ukraine and the Propaganda that Threatens Europe" hearing held before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the testimony of Benjamin G. Ziff: "We have all heard popular Kremlin refrains asserting there are no Russian soldiers in Ukraine; that Ukraine is on the verge of collapse; or Americans, and not corrupt leaders, are the cause of domestic discontent overseas. While many of these claims can easily be refuted, their around-the clock dissemination attempts to sow doubt, confusion, and suspicion and question even the most basic truths. The Kremlin sponsors these efforts with a sophisticated $1.4 billion-a-year propaganda apparatus at home and abroad, which claims to reach 600 million people across 130 countries in 30 languages. The Russian government also funds think tanks and outside organizations in its neighboring states to help achieve its goals of promoting the Kremlin's false narratives; portraying the West as a threat; and undermining trust in independent media as well as Western institutions and values. In the face of the Kremlin's attack on the truth, the free flow of reliable, credible information is the best defense. This is why the State Department has focused its efforts on supporting independent media; improving access to high quality, objective information; exposing false narratives; and building the capacity of civil society. After all, truth should be discovered, not dictated. Strong independent journalism is a key element in any democracy and will eventually prevail over disinformation and propaganda." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Benjamin G. Ziff, Leon Aron, Peter Pomerantsev, Maksymilian Czuperski, and Heather A. Conley.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2015-11-03
• U.S. Role and Strategy in the Middle East: The Humanitarian Crisis, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, September 29, 2015

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  This is a testimony compilation of the September 29, 2015 hearing "The U.S. Role and Strategy in the Middle East: The Humanitarian Crisis," held before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the opening statement of Committee Chairman Bob Corker: "The images of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children fleeing for safety should challenge every moral fiber within us. These are people just like us who want only to raise their family with dignity and cherish the same value and things that we all care about, and yet, we watch them on television in these desperate circumstances. We all know the scale of this tragedy but it is worth, again, outlining the numbers. In Syria, with a population of 22 million in 2011, more than 4.1 million have fled the country and more than 7.6 million are displaced inside the county. So, half of Syria's population is not at home--not living in their hometowns but in some other place. Some estimates put the number of deaths in Syria at over 300,000. I know that number--people have different estimates--with the Assad regime responsible for over 100,000 civilian deaths. Let me say that one more time--the Assad regime responsible for over 100,000 civilian deaths. In Iraq, 3.6 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 3.2 million are displaced." Statements, letters, and other materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Michel Gabaudan, Nancy Lindborg, and David Miliband.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2015-09-29
• U.S. Policy In Ukraine: Countering Russia and Driving Reform, Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, March 10, 2015

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  This is a testimony compilation of the March 10, 2015 hearing "U.S. Policy In Ukraine: Countering Russia and Driving Reform," held before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. From the opening statement of Chairman Bob Corker: "By equipping Ukraine with the means to impose a greater military cost on Russia, the United States will be contributing to a quicker, fairer, and more stable settlement of the conflict. But our support for Ukraine must go beyond simply imposing costs on Russia. Ukraine's foreign currency reserves have diminished to a month's worth of imports, the Ukrainian currency has lost 80 percent of its value since April 2014, and its economy continues to teeter on the brink of collapse. At the same time, while I believe the government in Kyiv is genuinely committed to reform, more needs to be done by the Ukrainian authorities to move forward with these reforms, especially in the energy sector, where corruption siphons billions of dollars away from the budget each year. Even if the United States does more to help Ukraine and Kyiv defeats the Russian-backed rebels, but the Ukrainian economy implodes in the process, we have failed and Putin has succeeded. As a matter of fact, he has had an even greater success if that occurs. This is why the United States must have a comprehensive strategy that will both counter Russian aggression but also drive political, economic, and anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine. During this hearing, I hope to have a detailed discussion that explores the situation in eastern Ukraine since the Minsk ceasefire agreement was signed, examines why the United States has failed to provide Ukraine with lethal military assistance, and considers additional ways to support Ukraine with its ongoing economic challenges." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Victoria Nuland, Brian P. McKeon, Ramin Toloui, Frank Pandolfe, John C. Kornblum, and John Herbst.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2015-03-10
• Report to the President from the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, Hearing Before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session, March 16, 2011

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  This is the March 16, 2011 hearing on "Report to the President from the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling" held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. From the opening statement of Barbara Boxer: "Today, we will hear from the distinguished co-chairs of the Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and offshore drilling about their report to the President on the Deepwater Horizon disaster. This committee has previously heard testimony about the heartbreaking economic and resource damages caused by this oil spill and the need to ensure that the people whose jobs and livelihoods are impacted are made whole again. The Commission's report and its recommendations underscore the work that remains to be done to minimize the chance of another disaster like the one we witnessed last year. The report highlights the safety and environmental risks associated with offshore drilling and spotlights the systemic lapses that led to the tragic Deepwater Horizon spill. The report lays out a comprehensive set of recommendations to improve the safety of offshore drilling, to hold oil companies accountable when things go wrong, and to protect jobs, coastal communities and the environment." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Bob Graham and William Reilly.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2014
• Situation in Afghanistan, Hearing Before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, February 11, 2015

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  This is the February 11, 2015 hearing on "the Situation in Afghanistan" before the Senate Armed Services Committee. From the opening statement of John McCain: "The Committee meets today to receive testimony on Afghanistan and U.S. efforts to sustain the gains that have been made over the past 13 years. […] The world walked away from Afghanistan once, and it descended into chaotic violence that became the platform for the worst terrorist attack in history against our homeland. The threats are real, and the stakes are high. We cannot let Afghanistan become a sanctuary for Al Qaeda or ISIS. Failure in this manner would destabilize the region, especially by undermining the security of a nuclear-armed Pakistan. Worse still, failure would condemn millions of Afghans, especially women and girls, to live again under the tyranny of violent radicals. We cannot turn the clock back in Iraq, but we can, and we must, apply the tragic lessons that we learned in Iraq to Afghanistan. To preserve the progress enabled by our troops and the Afghan people, President Obama must replace his plan for unconditional withdrawal from Afghanistan with a conditions-based drawdown and a clear commitment to maintain a limited residual force. If the President repeats his mistakes from Iraq, we can expect a similar disaster in Afghanistan: growing instability, terrorist safe havens, horrific human rights abuses, the rapid dissolution of the hard-won gains that our men and women in uniform purchased as such high cost, and ultimately, direct threats to the United States." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: James B. Cunningham, Ryan C. Crocker, Eric T. Olson, and Michael E. Leiter.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services

  2015-02-11
• ISIL's Reign of Terror: Confronting the Growing Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq and Syria, Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy, and Global Women's Issues, One Hundred and Thirteenth Congress, First Session, December 9, 2014

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  This is a testimony compilation from the December 9, 2014 hearing on "ISIL's [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] Reign of Terror: Confronting the Growing Humanitarian Crisis in Iraq and Syria" held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. From the testimony of Tom Malinowski: ""There are tyrants in the world who commit such crimes, but they know on some level that their conduct is shameful, so they hide what they do; Daesh puts its crimes on YouTube. It is of the utmost importance that those who commit and brag about such acts not be allowed to project a narrative of success, as Daesh tried to do earlier this year. It must fail and be seen to fail by every person and organization around the world that might have similar inclinations. And Daesh will fail; there is no question about that now. By targeting people of all sects, religions, and nationalities, it has united people of all sects, religions, and nationalities against it, and enabled us to forge a global coalition in support of local forces that will ultimately defeat this organization and liberate people from its terror. We will restore human rights by defeating Daesh. But what I want to stress most of all today is that the reverse is also true: we will defeat Daesh in part by defending the human rights of its intended victims. The protection of civilians in Iraq and Syria is built into our strategy; we see it not just as a moral imperative but a key to success in the fight." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Barbara Boxer (statement unavailable), Tom Malinowski, Nancy Lindborg, Vian Dakhil, Sarah Margon, Vian Dakhil, and Francis Kalabat.

  United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations

  2014-12-09
• Transparency and Training: Preparing our First Responders for Emerging Threats and Hazards, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session, March 25, 2014

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  This is from the March 25, 2014 hearing on, "Transparency and Training: Preparing our First Responders for Emerging Threats and Hazards," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. From the opening statement of Mark Begich: "We are here to examine the challenges posed to first responders by the transportation of hazardous materials over the road and rail and to discuss the opportunities that exist to train emergency response officials for this emerging hazard. […] As the demand for domestic energy production continues to grow, so does the risk to the Nation's transportation infrastructure, including railroads and major transportation corridors that run through cities and small communities across the country. While this boom in production and demand is good for business, those who live and work along heavily trafficked transport routes must be assured their first responders are equipped and trained to address the incidences that may occur. […] According to the Association of American Railroads' (AAR) Annual Report on Hazardous Materials, crude oil shipments by rail have increased more than 400 percent since 2005. The first responder community must prepare for any scenario and must be equipped and trained to respond to emerging threats driven by population growth or economic forces. Yesterday marked 25 years since the Exxon Valdez disaster affected residents, businesses, and wildlife throughout my own home State of Alaska. This disaster required a response from every level of government as well as the private sector and volunteer organizations. Events like this show the vital importance of local response and emphasizes the need to adapt to threats that emerge." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Mike King, Tim McLean, and Lisa A. Stabler.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2014
• Litigation of the CDC's Eviction Moratorium [August 2, 2021]

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  From the Document: "On August 1, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) order [hyperlink] imposing a nationwide, temporary federal moratorium on residential evictions for the nonpayment of rent expired [hyperlink]. The order was designed to prevent the further spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by preventing [hyperlink] homelessness and overcrowded housing conditions that would result from evictions. [...] The eviction moratorium represented a broad federal inroad into what is traditionally [hyperlink] state and local governance of landlord-tenant law and an unprecedented use of a public health authority [hyperlink] for this purpose. A number of courts have addressed challenges to the CDC's legal authority to issue the order and reached conflicting conclusions on the order's legality. This Legal Sidebar analyzes the court decisions on the CDC's eviction moratorium order and examines ways in which Congress, if it determines that the CDC should be delegated such authority, might explore means to increase clarity regarding the CDC's legal authority to halt evictions in response to a pandemic in the future."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Carpenter, David Hatcher

  2021-08-02
• First Responder's Toolbox: Violent Extremists Likely Will Continue to Use Disinformation on Social Media Outlets to Instill Fear and Radicalize Others

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  From the Scope: "This product highlights examples of official media releases by designated foreign terrorist organizations, such as ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria], and unofficial media releases by auxiliary news agencies and terrorist supporters. It is intended to describe how terrorists use disinformation to potentially influence Homeland and Western audiences, and introduce steps that can be taken to determine the credibility of the messaging."

  National Counterterrorism Center (U.S.)

  Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team

  2018-08-09
• First Responder's Toolbox: Postal and Shipping: Identification and Mitigation of Suspicious Mail and Packages

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  From the Scope: "This product is intended for those who might be required to handle mail and packages in the course of their work in order to promote awareness and coordination among public safety and private sector entities, and to improve their ability to identify, report, and mitigate the effects of suspicious mail and packages. For specific suspicious package indicator information, refer to the products in the Resources section. None of the information in this document is intended to replace existing standard operating procedures or policies. This product was developed in coordination with the US Postal Service and postal/shipping private sector partners."

  National Counterterrorism Center (U.S.)

  Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team

  2018-11-15