Beneath the high-profile conflicts over civil liberties or targeted killings, a myriad more mundane decisions lie at the intersection of national security and the law. Our constitutional process requires the advice and consent of the Senate for many high-level executive positions, including those responsible for national security, and each year, Congress must pass a budget that includes funding for the armed forces and intelligence agencies. Sometimes these confirmation and budgetary battles become proxy fights for larger and deeper disagreements, and often, they simply reflect the petty partisan politics of the age.
Latest in Appointments, Confirmations & Budgets
In February, President Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. We reviewed several of Jackson’s opinions to see what they might reveal about her views on issues relevant to Lawfare readers.
With the Department of State Authorization Act of 2021, President Biden signed into law substantial constraints on ad hoc diplomatic appointments. Here’s an explainer on the new law’s background and key provisions.
When a political movement has consistently, in the service of its own power, put lies ahead of truth with respect to Russia, Trump, and associated matters, it simply has to smear those who stared the issue in the face honestly.
On Thursday, April 29, 2021, at 1:00 p.m., the House Budget Committee will hold a hearing on reasserting Congress's power of the purse.
All three of President Biden’s picks for the top cyber positions in his administration are excellent choices. It would have been better, however, if one of them had experience more rooted in the private sector.
On Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at 9:30 a.m., the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the nominations of Lisa Monaco to be deputy attorney general and Vanita Gupta to be associate attorney general.
You can watch a livestream of the hearing here or below:
On Wednesday, March 3, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., the House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the fiscal 2022 Capitol Police budget request. The subcommittee will hear testimony from Yogananda Pittman, the acting Capitol Police chief.
You can watch the livestream here or below:
On Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., the Senate Intelligence Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of William Burns to be the next director of the CIA.
You can watch a livestream here or below:
The hearing was polite, informative and moving—and nonetheless reflected the post-truth world in which Republican senators choose to live.
On Monday, February 22, 2021, at 9:30 a.m., the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Merrick Garland to be the next U.S. attorney general.
You can watch a livestream of the hearing here or below: