Government Executive - Authors - Matt Berman

House Republicans Leave Washington With No Answers

Matt Berman, Ben Geman, Daniel Newhauser, and Lauren Fox, National Journal — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 09:35:20 -0400

House Republicans left Washington for the weeklong Columbus Day recess Friday with no pathway for ending the political tumult and uncertainty in their leadership ranks.

But members are not abandoning hope that Rep. Paul Ryan, who many call the closest thing that fractious Republicans have to a consensus pick for speaker, may reverse his decision to avoid the contest to replace outgoing Speaker John Boehner.

“He’s not saying no anymore,” Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, who is weighing his own run but says he’d support Ryan if he gets in, told National Journal.

Still, a spokesman for Ryan, the influential Ways and Means Committee chairman, said Friday afternoon he remains on the sidelines despite the intense efforts to draft him. “Chairman Ryan appreciates the support he’s getting from his colleagues but is still not running for speaker,” spokesman Brendan Buck said.

Ryan himself said little publicly as he headed home to Wisconsin Friday afternoon. “Really I don’t have anything more to add or say. Nothing has changed. Right now I am just going to catch my flight,” he told reporters as he left the Capitol.

The intrigue around Ryan comes a day after House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy suddenly dropped his bid to succeed Boehner, who had planned to leave Congress the end of the month, but says he’ll stay on until a successor is in place.

The draft-Ryan movement remains intense even as restive House Republicans, led by many of the panel’s most conservative members, are pushing for procedural changes that would give rank-and-file members more power. The House GOP conference met Friday morning for their latest soul-searching discussion.

“I want to see a change in the culture of Washington D.C., and I think the way you do that is not who you elect, but it’s the process, it’s the procedures. So there is a number that are saying, and I agree with this, [that] before we move ahead with a Speaker vote, let’s address the process, let’s address the rules, let’s make sure that every member of Congress has a voice here,” said Barry Loudermilk, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of GOP hardliners who made clear they would not have backed McCarthy.

House Republican leaders formally announced a task force on Friday to examine rules and procedural changes, which conservatives have been asking for as a prerequisite to voting for any speaker.

Republican Policy Committee Chairman Luke Messer, who will helm the task force along with House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, said changing leadership is only part of the solution.

He said the conference will not be satisfied unless leaders make changes to the way legislation is passed and how factions in the conference coexist: “We’ve got to recognize as a conference that we’re essentially a coalition government made up of centrist swing-state Republicans, a governing conservative middle, and the tea party, Freedom Caucus on the right. Unless we figure out a way to make those three groups operate more coherently, we’re going to continue to have troubles,” he said.

While Ryan has rebuffed calls to enter the race thus far, a number of other names have emerged as potential candidates, including GOP Reps. Mike Conaway, Marsha Blackburn and Jeff Miller.

But the biggest question looming over the GOP Friday was whether Ryan will succumb to growing calls from lawmakers who seem him as the member most likely to win the 218 votes needed to take the speaker’s gavel from the departing Boehner.

The pressure is intense. Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton said although it is not an orchestrated effort, members have been calling on Ryan to run to the point where he has had to resort to drastic measures to avoid them: Sitting next to famously ill-tempered Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin.

“I talked to him on the floor as well yesterday. I said, ‘Paul you’ve got to run.’ He said, ‘Well I’ve got to go sit next to Sensenbrenner.’ And part of that is Sensenbrenner is known to be such a grouch that he figured if he sat next to him no one would confront him on the floor,” Upton said Friday afternoon.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who has already gotten into the Speaker’s race, said he would yield to Ryan if he changed his mind. “If Paul Ryan got into the race, of course I would support him,” he said Friday. “He would be the kind of person that I could get excited about, but part of the reason that I got into the race is because people like Paul Ryan weren’t stepping up to do it.” House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers said she would also like to see Ryan run.

“I believe Paul Ryan is going to go home, meet with his family over the weekend, because people continue to urge him, beg him, cajole him because he is the consensus candidate at this point,” said Rep. Darrell Issa after the House GOP meeting. Issa is also weighing a run if the effort to draft Ryan fails.

But even if he does change his mind and run, Ryan’s path wouldn’t necessarily be easy.

Some conservatives—like Reps. Thomas Massie, Steve King, Justin Amash, and Louie Gohmert—are still backing Rep. Daniel Webster for the job, although some of that support could possibly change if Ryan really is to join the race.

Rep. Jim Jordan—who leads the House Freedom Caucus, which has endorsed Webster—said Friday, “We’ve endorsed Mr. Webster. Nothing’s changed.” Rep. David Schweikert said that while he thinks Paul Ryan has the propensity to lead, “It’s not about the man; it is about the policies and procedures.” Conservatives still want to see a speaker candidate who makes more promises to changing the way legislation is moved and voted on in the House of Representatives.

The GOP conference is in tumult just three weeks before Boehner is slated to go. Rep. John Fleming, of Louisiana, said Boehner spoke briefly to the group at the meeting Friday morning. “He just basically said he was going to remain speaker until we get a new speaker; he expected that by the end of the month,” Fleming said.

Rep. John Kline, of Minnesota, and Rep. Candice Miller, of Michigan, both retiring at the end of this term, have each been floated as possible placeholder candidates for the speakership to give the conference more time to settle on a consensus leader in 2016. Rep. Tom Cole suggested Kline as an alternative to Ryan Friday. Miller has already said she is not interested.

As for Ryan, he had more to say to reporters about football than his political future in the House on Friday. “The Packers are home and they are going to beat the Rams,” Ryan said. “And they are going to cover the spread.”

Clare Foran contributed to this article.

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House Republicans Are Waiting for Paul Ryan to Make Up His Mind

Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:55:35 -0400

House Republicans met Friday morning after a day of chaos Thursday that saw House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy suddenly drop his bid to succeed John Boehner as speaker of the House. And their hopes have largely turned to a man who only the day before said, not for the first time, that he had no interest in the job. Right now, there’s no clear path forward unless that changes. And a Ryan bid still isn’t looking promising.

After McCarthy announced he was out Thursday, House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan quickly put out astatement saying he wanted no part of the speaker job. “Now it is important that we, as a conference, take time to deliberate and seek new candidates for the speakership. While I am grateful for the encouragement I’ve received, I will not be a candidate.” he said. And on Friday, after the caucus meeting, a spokesman for Ryan said, “Chairman Ryan appreciates the support he’s getting from his colleagues but is still not running for speaker.”

Many House Republicans had left their morning meeting with fingers-crossed for Ryan to possibly sweep in and lead the caucus out of Thursday’s turmoil.

Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican and a leadership ally, said he thinks Ryan is the right person to ascend to the House’s top post. Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican who has not ruled out running for the gavel himself if the opportunity arises, said, “Right now, I have a candidate I am trying to get into the race, and I am going to keep working on him.” That would be Ryan, who Issa says “is the consensus candidate at this point.” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the Utah Republican who has been running for the speaker’s post, said he would drop his bid if Ryan jumps in. “If Paul Ryan got into the race, of course I would support him,” he said. “He would be the kind of person that I could get excited about, but part of the reason that I got into the race is because people like Paul Ryan weren’t stepping up to do it.” House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers said she would also like to see Ryan run.

Rep. Sean Duffy, who like Ryan is a Wisconsin Republican, said that Ryan “hasn’t changed his mind” about jumping into the speaker’s race during an interview Friday morning with MSNBC’s Jose Diaz-Balart, but he expressed hope that Ryan will nevertheless “reconsider and take the spot”:

He’s kind of a boy scout, he wants to do what’s right for the country, and if he feels that no one else can take the position and he’s the only guy left, which I think he prays that that’s not the case, I do think he’ll make a decision that’s not just right for his family, he has little kids, but also that’s right for the country, and my hope is he’ll reconsider and take the spot.

Even if he does change his mind and run, Ryan’s path wouldn’t necessarily be easy. Some conservatives—like Reps. Thomas Massie, Steve King, Justin Amash, and Louie Gohmert—are still backing Rep. Daniel Webster for the job, although some of that support could possibly change if Ryan really is to join the race. Rep. Jim Jordan—who leads the House Freedom Caucus, which has endorsed Webster—said Friday, “We’ve endorsed Mr. Webster. Nothing’s changed.” Rep. David Schweikert said that while he thinks Paul Ryan has the propensity to lead, “It’s not about the man; it is about the policies and procedures.” Conservatives still want to see a speaker candidate who makes more promises to changing the way legislation is moved and voted on in the House of Representatives.

In Friday’s meeting, McCarthy reiterated his announcement from Thursday, telling the conference he would not run for speaker. Rep. John Fleming, of Louisiana, said Boehner spoke briefly to the group. “He just basically said he was going to remain speaker until we get a new speaker; he expected that by the end of the month,” Fleming said. Paul Ryan was not even mentioned in the meeting and he left early, said Republican Policy Committee Chairman Luke Messer, of Indiana.

Leaders also formally announced a task force to examine rules and procedural changes, which conservatives have been asking for as a prerequisite to voting for any speaker.

Messer, who will helm the task force along with McMorris Rodgers and Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, said changing leadership is only part of the solution. He said the conference will not be satisfied unless leaders make changes to the way legislation is passed and how factions in the conference coexist: “We’ve got to recognize as a conference that we’re essentially a coalition government made up of centrist swing-state Republicans, a governing conservative middle, and the tea party, Freedom Caucus on the right. Unless we figure out a way to make those three groups operate more coherently, we’re going to continue to have troubles.”

Rep. Barry Loudermilk, of Georgia, a Freedom Caucus member, said the immediate emphasis should be on process changes: “I want to see a change in the culture of Washington, D.C., and I think the way you do that is not who you elect, but it’s the process, it’s the procedures. So there is a number that are saying, and I agree with this, [that] before we move ahead with a speaker vote, let’s address the process, let’s address the rules, let’s make sure that every member of Congress has a voice here.”

McMorris Rodgers said Friday that the caucus is “committed to an orderly process, and I think it is worth taking the time.”

Rep. John Kline, of Minnesota, and Rep. Candice Miller, of Michigan, both retiring at the end of this term, have each been floated as possible placeholder candidates for the speakership to give the conference more time to settle on a consensus leader in 2016. Rep. Cole suggested Kline as an alternative to Ryan Friday. Miller has already said she is not interested.

Clare Foran contributed to this article.

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Kevin McCarthy Suddenly Drops His Bid for Speaker of the House

Matt Berman, National Journal — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 12:53:49 -0400

This story has been updated.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has pulled himself out of the race to replace John Boehner as Speaker of the House, he told the GOP caucus Thursday. The House Republicans announced that the leadership election has been postponed “until a later date.”

“I think I shocked some of you, huh?,” McCarthy said in short press remarks just before 1 PM. Saying he feels good about his decision, McCarthy suggested that “To unite, we probably need a fresh face.”

A reporter asked McCarthy if his controversial comments about the Benghazi select committee—in which he implied its objective has been to hurt Hillary Clinton in the presidential race—played into his decision. “Well, that wasn’t helpful,” McCarthy replied.

Rep. Kevin Costello, one of the first ten members to exit the room, said McCarthy stood up in front of the room and said he is not the right person unify the conference and was withdrawing from the race. Boehner then said the election would be postponed.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., came out of the meeting completely stunned. King said that it was hard to hear what McCarthy was saying. “We were all just thunderstruck,” said Rep. John Fleming.

“I’m still trying to process what just happened,” said Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Penn.

Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., came out of the meeting with a full plate of barbecue and slaw and a lot of questions. He said some members were crying as McCarthy made his announcement. “There were a lot of emotions, because it was so extraordinary and out of the ordinary.”

Rep. Darrell Issa told reporters shortly after the news broke that the Republican conference was shocked by the news. “Kevin McCarthy had the vast majority of the conference’s confidence and votes,” Issa said. According to Issa, McCarthy will remain as House majority leader— “as far as we know”—and will become “the most important endorsement for whoever ultimately becomes the speaker.”

Rep. Trey Gowdy told reporters that there are members who have the ability to lead and unite the party, but “they are not willing to do it.” When asked if he would take the job himself if his colleagues asked, he entered the elevator, turned around and said “no.”

One of those Republicans who has pulled himself out is House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. After McCarthy’s decision, Ryan again stated that he has no interest in running for the job. “Kevin McCarthy is best person to lead the House, and so I’m disappointed in this decision,” he said in a statement. “Now it is important that we, as a Conference, take time to deliberate and seek new candidates for the speakership. While I am grateful for the encouragement I’ve received, I will not be a candidate. I continue to believe I can best serve the country and this conference as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.”

Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Penn., speculated to the cause for the sudden decision, saying “it was pretty simple actually.” “Kevin had a strong majority of votes among the Republican members to become the next speaker. It’s pretty obvious he didn’t have 218 votes…and had this gone to the floor, I think there was great concern that maybe he couldn’t get 218 votes and it would have been obviously embarrassing to not be elected speaker.”

“Before John Boehner stepped down, I said if John Boehner steps down, the same people who were trying to take John Boehner down, will try to frag the next guy,” Dent said. “Well, that is just what happened.”

Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., a McCarthy supporter, said he approached the majority leader after his decision and said he would have taken heat for voting for him. “That’s what I just told McCarthy in there, you know, ‘I would’ve taken the arrows for you. I already have,’” he said. “He’s obviously put the party ahead of himself, I guess. I just don’t know where we go from here.”

There has been some immediate support for McCarthy’s decision though among Republicans. “This was exactly what John Boehner did. He put the interests of the party, of the Congress and the nation ahead of his own personal interests. It was an honorable thing that Kevin did. I think he recognized that he had no path to get to 218 votes on the House floor and leaving here with the nomination based just on 51% and having 2 weeks to try unsuccessfully to get to 218 on the House floor was something he didn’t want to put his party through. I think he made the right decision,” said Rep David Jolly.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., who had been critical of McCarthy last week, said McCarthy was “courageous” for stepping out of the race. “This is a terrific thing for the party. This opens the whole party.”

The House Freedom Caucus called an emergency meeting directly after the announcement. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., said he spoke with McCarthy 20 minutes before the election was to occur, and McCarthy was looking for HFC Chairman Jim Jordan. But he said the group isn’t claiming another scalp as they have with Boehner’s resignation. “I don’t take it as a victory,” he said. But when asked how we move forward he said there are a couple possibilities. “We could start talking now about a caretaker. We could talk about someone in the center who could be acceptable to both sides. We might talk about somebody who is an institutionalist, like Webster.”

Rep. Tim Huelskamp, though, a vocal opponent of the current GOP leadership, declared a victory of sorts on MSNBC. “This leadership has lost,” Huelskamp said. “They have essentially lost two Speakers in two weeks.”

Lauren Fox, Daniel Newhauser and Alex Brown contributed to this article.

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House Speaker John Boehner Is Resigning From Congress

Brian Resnick, Matt Berman, Clare Foran, and Nora Kelly, National Journal — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 09:56:27 -0400

Long under-fire from conservatives in his caucus, House Speaker John Boehner will resign effective October 30th, leaving both his speakership and his congressional seat, he said in a statement Friday morning.

“Today, my heart is full with gratitude for my family, my colleagues, and the people of Ohio’s Eighth District,” Boehner said in the press statement released several hours after one of his aides confirmed the exit. “God bless this great country that has given me—the son of a bar owner from Cincinnati—the chance to serve.”The speaker made the announcement to House Republicans in a “very moving and humbling speech,” according to one member.

Attempting to steer and unite a House Republican conference that is often pulled in different directions by moderate and conservative factions has been a defining feature of the speaker’s tenure. The last several years of Boehner’s speakership have been defined by lurches from one budget deadlock to another.

That tension has been on full display, and at times appeared at risk of boiling over, during the current debate over federal funding for Planned Parenthood and government spending in Congress, now likely to be Boehner’s last fight as speaker.

A Boehner aide said Friday that the speaker had planned to resign at the end of last year, but his plans changed once former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost his reelection. “The Speaker believes putting members through prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution,” the aide said. Boehner has been speaker since Republicans won the House following the 2010 election.

A spokesperson for Eric Cantor tells National Journal the former Republican majority leader is not commenting on Boehner’s resignation today.

The speaker left the Capitol Friday without speaking to reporters. He’s expected to appear live on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday.

Boehner’s resignation will be seen as a victory to some members of the conservative wing of the House, namely members of the House Freedom Caucus. Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina offered a motion to vacate the chair—removing Boehner from the speaker’s position—back in July, but efforts to remove Boehner hadn’t fully taken off in the months since. According to a report from CNN, some Freedom Caucus members wanted to wait until Pope Francis left Washington to move on a vote. The conservative Heritage Action, often a Boehner foe, took something of a victory lap after the news, saying “Today’s announcement is a sign that the voice of the American people is breaking through in Washington. Now is the time for a principled, conservative leader to emerge.”

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the number two Republican in the House, called Boehner a “leader, mentor, and most of all friend” in a statement on Friday. “He will be missed because there is simply no one else like him,” McCarthy said, adding: “Now is the time for our conference to focus on healing and unifying to face the challenges ahead and always do what is best for the American people.”

Rep. Paul Ryan, whose name was immediately floated as a speaker contender in the minutes after this morning’s announcement, characterized Boehner as a “great leader” for the GOP in a statement, and said his resignation is “an act of pure selflessness.” Though Ryan says he won’t be pursuing the speakership himself, he said he’s “confident our conference will elect leaders who are capable of meeting the challenges our nation faces.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell praised Boehner in a speech from the Senate floor on Friday, crediting the House Speaker with the ability to “transform a broken and dispirited Republican minority into the largest Republican majority since the 1920s.” Displaying empathy for the oft-embattled leader, McConnell, who has also worked to rein in an at-times unruly Republican conference, said: “John knows what it’s like to struggle and to dream of something better.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called Boehner’s resignation “seismic for the House” during a press conference Friday morning. She called the exit “a stark indication” of the House Republican’s “disarray” and what she said is an “obsession” with shutting down the government. Pelosi said she has not yet heard from Boehner personally. Dubbing the speaker “the latest Tea Party victim,” Pelosi’s PAC sent out a fundraising pitch off the news.

The news arrives just a day after a moment that, for the House Speaker, represented one of the highlights of his political career. After extending invitations to heads of the Catholic Church for more than 20 years, Boehner finally succeeded in getting a pope to visit and address a joint-meeting of Congress.

On Thursday, the famously sharp-tongued Republican leader appeared highly emotional during Pope Francis’ speech to Congress, a winding address that touched on immigration, the environment, and the family.

Boehner teared up during the speech, pausing many times to wipe away tears with a handkerchief.

Zach C. Cohen contributed to this article.

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At Press Conference, Obama Reflects on His 'Best Week'

Matt Berman and Marina Koren, National Journal — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 16:20:25 -0400

Was last week President Obama's best week ever?

That's the crux of a question the president took on on Tuesday at a joint press conference with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. His answer started out a little cheesy.

"My best week, I will tell you, was marrying Michelle," the president said. "That was a really good week. Malia and Sasha being born, excellent weeks. There was a game where I scored 27 points. That was a pretty good week. I've had some good weeks in my life, I will tell you."

But the president did acknowledge that last week was "gratifying."

A recap of Obama's "best week ever": Congress gave him the authority to negotiate trade deals he had spent weeks rallying support for in both parties. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Affordable Care Act and then in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. He received extensive praise for his eulogy at an emotional funeral for one of the Charleston church shooting victims. Obama's winning streak ended Monday when the Court ruled against Environmental Protection Agency regulations to limit air pollutants from power plants, but the president had an impressive run.

Obama spoke specifically about the White House's celebration Friday after the marriage ruling: lighting the president's residence in rainbow colors. To see people gathered outside the executive mansion that night, Obama said, to see them "feel whole, and to feel accepted, and to feel that they had a right to love? That was cool. That was a good thing."

"In many ways," Obama said, "last week was the culmination of a lot of work we've been doing since I came into office." When asked what he would do with any refreshed political capital he may have gained, the president pointed to some potential priorities: the overtime pay rules he's set to announce, bipartisan work on building up America's infrastructure, bipartisan work on criminal-justice reform, and more work on job-training packages.

"I might see if we can make next week even better," he said.

There's one thing that could potentially get in the way of that, however.

Greece is rapidly running out of money and threatening an economic crisis in Europe. But the economic results of the devastating default will not be seriously felt by Americans, Obama said Tuesday.

The president said the financial crisis is "of substantial concern" and ultimately "of concern to Europe."

"Essentially what you have here is a country that has gone through some very difficult economic times, needs to find a path towards growth and a path to stay in the eurozone," he said. "And what we've been encouraging both the Greek government and our European partners to do is to continue to negotiate and find a pathway towards a resolution."

What happens next will not shake the economic situation in the United States, he said.

"In layman terms for the American people, this is not something that we believe will have a major shock to the system," Obama said. "But obviously it's very painful for the Greek people. And it can have a significant effect on growth rates in Europe. And if Europe's not growing the way it needs to grow, it has an impact on us, it has an impact on Brazil. ... It can have a dampening effect on the entire world economy."

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Lindsey Graham Steps on His Own Presidential Announcement

Matt Berman, National Journal — Mon, 18 May 2015 11:00:00 -0400

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., went on CBS This Morning Monday to announce that he will make his intentions for a possible White House run known on June 1 in central South Carolina. He wound up going a little bit further than that.

Immediately after inviting his hosts to South Carolina in June for his decision, Graham got something of a trick question from Charlie Rose.

"Are you running in part because you look at the field and you don't think they're very sophisticated on foreign policy, and you believe that that's the one thing you bring to the rest," Rose asked, ever-so sneakily getting in the frame that Graham is already actually running.

Graham's answer likely said more than Rose was anticipating (emphasis added).

"That's a really good question. I've got the best job in the world, as senator from South Carolina. I've got a very comfortable life. I'm running because of what you see on television. I'm running because I think the world is falling apart. I've been more right than wrong on foreign policy. It's not the fault of others or their lack of this or that that makes me want to run. It's my ability in my own mind to be a good commander in chief and make Washington work. The reason I've had six primary opponents in my last election is because I've been accused of working with Democrats too much. In my view, Democrats and Republicans work together too little, and I would try to change that if I got to be president. And when it came to radical Islam, I would go after them before they came back here again."

This came to the delight of the show's hosts. "Sounds like we got a little bit of a jump on South Carolina," said Gayle King.

You can watch that full video here:

Graham isn't alone in accidently letting his own probable ambitions slip just a little early.

Just last week, Jeb Bush, who has been "actively exploring" a presidential run since December,answered a question by speaking in the present tense about a run. In March, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry referred to himself as a "candidate," despite not officially being one. Just over a month before he officially announced a campaign, Ben Carson wrote in an op-ed "I have much to learn in terms of becoming...a better candidate." Rand Paul also blew the surprise about a month before his own official announcement on Twitter, referring to himself as "the only candidate who thinks the NSA program on phone records should be shut down." And last month, soon afterannouncing his exploratory committee, former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee answered a question on CNN by saying "That's why I'm running, because I feel strong about where we're going as a country."

It of course remains to be seen if Graham or any of the other so-far unofficial candidates actually will officially run. But there have been plenty cracks in the not-a-candidate veneer.

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Officials Investigate Cause of Deadly Train Accident Outside Philadelphia

Matt Berman and Marina Koren, National Journal — Wed, 13 May 2015 10:10:53 -0400

At least six people have been killed and dozens are injured after an Amtrak train traveling from Washington to New York City derailed in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter confirmed the first five deaths during a press conference Tuesday night. He said he has "never seen anything like this in my life." Temple University Hospital confirmed the sixth death Wednesday morning, saying the passenger died of a "massive chest injury."

Speaking to reporters just before 7 a.m. Wednesday, Temple's chief medical officer Herbert Cushing noted that 25 patients were treated and released at his hospital, and 25 are still in hospital care. Cushing said eight patients remain in critical condition. The passengers, Cushing said, included several people from other countries who had been travelling in the U.S.

The Northeast Regional Train 188 departed Union Station at 7:15 p.m., according to Amtrak's train status tracking. The train derailed just after 9 p.m. There were 238 passengers and five crew members on board, according to Amtrak.

AP reports more than 140 passengers went to hospitals.

As of Wednesday morning, the cause of the derailment is still unknown. A law enforcement source told ABC's Philadelphia affiliate that a black box has been recovered from the train and will be analyzed in Delaware. The train's speed is currently the focus of the investigation. The FBI has also dispatched agents to the crash site.

FBI on Amtrak derailment: NTSB has lead. FBI agents on scene overnight. At this stage it appears to be an accident, no evidence of foul play
— Dan Linden (@DanLinden) May 13, 2015

Amtrak directed people with questions about friends and family aboard the train to call 800-523-9101 for information.

Amtrak said early Wednesday morning that there will be no service between New York and Philadelphia Wednesday.

Former Rep. Patrick Murphy was on Train 188, and tweeted a photo of what he saw.

Im on @Amtrak train that just crashed. Im ok. Helping others. Pray for those injured.
— Patrick J. Murphy (@PatrickMurphyPA) May 13, 2015

pic.twitter.com/GvooK8lq58
— Patrick J. Murphy (@PatrickMurphyPA) May 13, 2015

Paul Cheung, an Associated Press employee who was on Train 188, told the AP that the front of the train was "really mangled."

"It's a complete wreck," he said. "The whole thing is like a pile of metal." NBC's Philadelphia affiliate showed footage of the wreckage:

Wow, @NBCPhiladelphia shows an incredibly damaged Amtrak car pic.twitter.com/0WkU3SCfVR
— Michael Linhorst (@MichaelLinhorst) May 13, 2015

The train's seven cars were all impacted, AP reports, and some cars were "completely overturned, on their side, ripped apart." Six cars overturned and one hit a steel utility pole, according to The New York Times.

First responders were on the scene removing injured passengers and loading them into ambulances.

Police and firefighters helping people into ambulance. pic.twitter.com/AXjQ5rMdiO
— Janelle Richards (@Janelle_News) May 13, 2015

Sen. Thomas Carper of Delaware said in a statement Tuesday night that he was on Train 188 and got off at Wilmington. "I am grateful to be home safe and sound in Wilmington, and my heart goes out to all those on the train tonight," he said. "I hope all of those that are injured recover quickly, and I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers."

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J, also detailed a personal connection to the crash in a Wednesday statement. "This hits especially close to home. There was a period of time last night when I didn't know the whereabouts of my son, who was scheduled to be on an Amtrak back to New Jersey, and later found out he was on the next train and safe," he said. Unfortunately, many New Jersey families this morning aren't as fortunate as they search for loved ones and answers." Menendez said he's been in touch with Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday night that it has dispatched a team to investigate the crash which would arrive Wednesday morning, when they plan hold a press conference.

Another Amtrak train was involved in a crash on Sunday. The train, carrying 163 passengers, struck a car on the tracks on its way from Washington to New Orleans, killing the driver of the vehicle. The location of Tuesday's crash was the site of a major train accident in 1943.

Amtrak accounts for 77 percent of air and rail travel between Washington and New York, and overall ridership has spiked in recent years. Still, the company has been running a deficit every year for decades. Back in Washington, the House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to mark up a $55 billion transportation spending bill on Wednesday that would provide $289 million in federal funding for Amtrak.

Speaking on CNN Wednesday morning, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said "if there is an opportunity for us to make further investments in our infrastructure that would better safeguard the travelling public, than those are investments that we should make, both because of the improvements on safety but also because of the positive economic benefit it would have in terms of creating jobs and stimulating economic growth all across the country."

This story, originally published Tuesday night, has been updated with more information Wednesday.

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Secret Service Officers Crashed Into a White House Barricade Last Week

Matt Berman, National Journal — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:19:58 -0400

The Secret Service is trapped in a very unfortunate game of "But wait! There's more!" with The Washington Post.

The Post reports that two senior officers drove a government car into the White House security barricades on March 4. The officers, including an agent who is second-in-command on President Obama's security detail, were reportedly intoxicated and had left a retirement party for outgoing agency spokesman Ed Donovan.

The Homeland Security Department's inspector general is investigating the incident.

The Post reports that officers on duty who witnessed the crash wanted to arrest the agents and run sobriety tests but were asked to step aside by an on-duty supervisor who sent the intoxicated agents home.

This is, of course, the latest in a string of bad news for the elite protection agency. Just last month, Obama appointed a new Secret Service chief in hopes of turning things around. That came after former Director Julia Pierson and other top officials resigned after someone jumped the White House fence and made it inside the Executive Mansion before he was stopped. Looks like damage control comes early for new Director Joseph Clancy.

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Here's the White House Request for the Use of Force Against the Islamic State

Sarah Mimms and Matt Berman, National Journal — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 10:26:23 -0500

After weeks of anticipation, the White House has finally sent a drafted authorization for the use of military force proposal to Congress to recieve approval for limited force against the Islamic State.

The request from the Obama administration, given the short title "Authorization for Use of Military Force against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" gives the president the authority to use the U.S. armed forces as he sees fit "against ISIL or associated persons or forces." The administration defines "associated persons or forces" as "individuals and organizations fighting for, on behalf of, or alongside ISIL or any closely-related successor entity in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners."

The request does not authorize the use of forces in "enduring offensive ground combat operations" and it would also repeal the 2002 Authorization of Military Force Against Iraq. The authorization would last three years after enactment unless it is reauthorized, and the president would be required to update Congress at least once every six months on "specific actions taken pursuant to this authorization." There are not, however, clear geographical limitations.

Obama's draft specifically mentions the deaths of American citizens James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Abdul-Rahman Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller.

The president will deliver a statement on the request from the White House at 3:30 Wednesday afternoon.

Now that Congress had received the official AUMF language they've spent months asking the White House for, they're expected to begin altering it.

Generally, Democrats are concerned about the prohibition on "enduring offensive ground troops" and the lack of any other restrictions against American boots on the ground. "What's enduring? What's offensive?" Sen. Dick Durbin said, after a briefing from the administration on Tuesday.

Republicans meanwhile are voicing growing worries about the administration's overall strategy against ISIL, which the document spends precious little time addressing.

Both points will be the focus on congressional hearings over the next month or more. Senate Foreign Relations chairman Bob Corker said this week that his committee is already preparing for hearings on the AUMF legislation, but with Congress scheduled to break all of next week, the real wrangling over the bill won't begin until the end of the month at least.

Members will have the opportunity to amend the AUMF in committee, as well as on the floor, Corker said Tuesday. The Senate chairman did say, however, that he would keep the White House in the loop on any changes to the AUMF, given the seriousness of the matter.

Members of the House, meanwhile, were just being briefed on the document Wednesday morning. Senate Republicans will huddle to discuss their options at 5 p.m. this evening.

In a statement, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the draft "serious and thoughtful" and said that "Congress should act judiciously and promptly to craft and pass an AUMF narrowly-tailored to the war against ISIS."

The full draft resolution is here and below.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

JOINT RESOLUTION

To authorize the limited use of the United States Armed Forces against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

***

Whereas the terrorist organization that has referred to itself as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and various other names (in this resolution referred to as ''ISIL'') poses a grave threat to the people and territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria, regional stability, and the national security interests of the United States and its allies and partners;

Whereas ISIL holds significant territory in Iraq and Syria and has stated its intention to seize more territory and demonstrated the capability to do so;

Whereas ISIL leaders have stated that they intend to conduct terrorist attacks internationally, including against the United States, its citizens, and interests;

Whereas ISIL has committed despicable acts of violence and mass executions against Muslims, regardless of sect, who do not subscribe to ISIL's depraved, violent, and oppressive ideology;

Whereas ISIL has threatened genocide and committed vicious acts of violence against religious and ethnic minority groups, including Iraqi Christian, Yezidi, and Turkmen populations;

Whereas ISIL has targeted innocent women and girls with horrific acts of violence, including abduction, enslavement, torture, rape, and forced marriage;

Whereas ISIL is responsible for the deaths of innocent United States citizens, including James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Abdul-Rahman Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller;

Whereas the United States is working with regional and global allies and partners to degrade and defeat ISIL, to cut off its funding, to stop the flow of foreign fighters to its ranks, and to support local communities as they reject ISIL;

Whereas the announcement of the anti-ISIL Coalition on September 5, 2014, during the NATO Summit in Wales, stated that ISIL poses a serious threat and should be countered by a broad international coalition;

Whereas the United States calls on its allies and partners, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa that have not already done so to join and participate in the anti-ISIL Coalition;

Whereas the United States has taken military action against ISIL in accordance with its inherent right of individual and collective self-defense;

Whereas President Obama has repeatedly expressed his commitment to working with Congress to pass a bipartisan authorization for the use of military force for the anti-ISIL military campaign; and

Whereas President Obama has made clear that in this campaign it is more effective to use our unique capabilities in support of partners on the ground instead of large-scale deployments of U.S. ground forces: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This joint resolution may be cited as the "Authorization for Use of Military Force against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant."

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The President is authorized, subject to the limitations in subsection (c), to use the Armed Forces of the United States as the President determines to be necessary and appropriate against ISIL or associated persons or forces as defined in section 5.

(b) WAR POWERS RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS.—

(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION.—Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1547(a)(1)), Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(b)).

(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS.—Nothing in this resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.).

The authority granted in subsection (a) does not authorize the use of the United States Armed Forces in enduring offensive ground combat operations.

SEC. 3. DURATION OF THIS AUTHORIZATION.

This authorization for the use of military force shall terminate three years after the date of the enactment of this joint resolution, unless reauthorized.

SEC. 4. REPORTS.

The President shall report to Congress at least once every six months on specific actions taken pursuant to this authorization.

SEC. 5. ASSOCIATED PERSONS OR FORCES DEFINED.

In this joint resolution, the term ''associated persons or forces'' means individuals and organizations fighting for, on behalf of, or alongside ISIL or any closely-related successor entity in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners.

SEC. 6. REPEAL OF AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAQ.

The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107– 243; 116 Stat. 1498; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note) is hereby repealed.

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In Statement, White House Condemns 'Horrific Shooting' at Paris Newspaper Office

Matt Berman and Marina Koren, National Journal — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 10:09:15 -0500

Masked gunmen have killed 12 people at the offices of a French satirical newspaper in Paris Wednesday morning.

The suspects remain at large. The AP reports that the gunmen shouted "Allahu akbar" during the attack. It's not yet clear how many gunmen conducted the attacks, but the French interior minister tells AFP that three people were involved. Reuters reports the victims include two police officers, and BuzzFeed reports they include four well-known cartoonists.

The targeted publication, Charlie Hebdo, is a satirical weekly newspaper that has been repeatedly threatened for its coverage of religious figures, specifically of the Prophet Muhammad. In 2011, the paper's office was firebombed after publishing an issue "guest edited" by Muhammad. The paper responded with a cover less than a week later depicting a maleCharlie Hebdo cartoonist kissing a bearded, presumably Muslim man with the burned office in the background, under the headline (translated to English) "Love is stronger than hate."

Several governments and organizations have already condemned the deadly attack. French President Francois Hollande called it a "terrorist attack" of "exceptional barbarity."

The White House has condemned the shooting in the "strongest possible terms," according to the Agence France-Presse. "Everybody here at the White House are with the families of those who were killed or injured in this attack," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told MSNBC, The Guardian reports.

The White House released this statement from President Obama later Wednesday morning:

I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that has reportedly killed 12 people. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France at this difficult time. France is America's oldest ally, and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world. Time and again, the French people have stood up for the universal values that generations of our people have defended. France, and the great city of Paris where this outrageous attack took place, offer the world a timeless example that will endure well beyond the hateful vision of these killers. We are in touch with French officials and I have directed my Administration to provide any assistance needed to help bring these terrorists to justice.

Earnest said earlier that "the United States stands ready to work closely with the French" to help them investigate the shooting.

NATO described the shooting as "a barbaric act and an outrageous attack on press freedom."

"We stand in solidarity with our ally France," NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said. "All NATO allies stand together in the fight against terrorism."

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined in the condemnation. "This is a brazen assault on free expression in the heart of Europe," said the organization's deputy director Robert Mahoney. "The scale of the violence is appalling. Journalists must now stand together to send the message that such murderous attempts to silence us will not stand."

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Unmanned NASA Rocket Explodes in Virginia

Matt Berman and Dustin Volz, National Journal — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 09:30:25 -0400

The Antares Rocket, an unmanned NASA-contracted rocket launched from Wallops Island, Va., exploded early Tuesday night just after lifting off.

Here's video of what happened:

It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion. The failed launch came just one day after NASA scrubbed an earlier scheduled launch due to a stray boat encroaching into the rocket's safety range.

The rocket, built and launched by Orbital Sciences Corporation, was headed to the International Space Station. NBC reports that this was to be Orbital Sciences' third official trip to ISS for NASA. The company has a $1.9 billion contract for eight delivery missions with the space agency.

The rocket was intended to deliver about 5,000 pounds of supplies to the space station. NASA's mission control center said there were no injuries and that all personnel had been accounted for following the explosion.

Orbital is calling the incident a "vehicle anomaly."

There has been a vehicle anomaly. We will update as soon as we are able.
— Orbital Sciences (@OrbitalSciences) October 28, 2014

Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland had staff watching the launch.

A few of my staff were @NASA_Wallops observing the launch. Thankfully no one on the ground appears to be injured.
— Rep. Andy Harris, MD (@RepAndyHarrisMD) October 28, 2014

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Someone Else Jumped the White House Fence. This Is What Happened.

Matt Berman and Kaveh Waddell, National Journal — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 09:23:41 -0400

Another person jumped the White House fence Wednesday night. This time, however, crossing onto the front lawn of the executive building didn't end so well for the jumper. After a month of criticism and embarrassment, the Secret Service got to flex its muscle.

The man scaled the fence at about 7:16 p.m., Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan told The Washington Post. Two dogs from the agency's K9 unit stopped the jumper, NPR's Tamara Keith reports. If you're wondering exactly what that looks like, here's video from Fox:

Donovan said Secret Service officers did not fire any shots during the incident.

Officers cleared tourists from the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, and there were reports of a White House lockdown, according to The Post.

The video and reports from the scene suggest that the intruder at least attempted to punch his canine assailants. After he was apprehended, the jumper was transported to a hospital, where he was treated for bites he sustained from the K9 dogs.

The K9 dogs were also injured in the altercation. The dogs, Hurricane and Jordan, were taken to a veterinarian Wednesday night and cleared for duty Thursday morning. Both "are doing fine," tweeted CNN's Steve Brusk.

The jumper's quick apprehension is a significant departure from what happened in September, when a man hopped the fence and made it as far as the White House's East Room before officers stopped him. It turned out later that he had hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his car.

That incident, along with a series of other service slip-ups, led to a heated congressional hearing and the resignation of the agency's director, Julia Pierson.

While the system appears to have worked this time, the latest incident could generate more calls for tighter restrictions on public access to the area outside of the White House. Law enforcement, much to the chagrin of D.C. residents and tourists, has been considering blocking off parts of the street from pedestrians. Less access to the White House won't make tourists happy, but a second fence-jumper in two months could prompt officials to seriously consider such an option.

(Image via Orhan Cam / Shutterstock.com)

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Secret Service Director Julia Pierson Resigns

Matt Berman, National Journal — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 15:23:48 -0400

This story has been updated.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced Wednesday that Secret Service Director Julia Pierson has offered her resignation, and he has accepted it.

"I salute her 30 years of distinguished service to the Secret Service and the nation," Johnson said in a statement.

Pierson's resignation had seemed to be only a matter of time, as a wave of embarrassing reports of security lapses from the Secret Service has become public over the last two weeks, set off by an intruder armed with a knife jumping the White House fence on Sept. 19 and making it all the way to the East Room before being stopped.

Johnson has appointed Joseph Clancy, formerly special agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Division of the Secret Service, as an interim acting director. Clancy had retired from the service in 2011. Alejandro Mayorkas, deputy secretary of Homeland Security, will take over control of the investigation into the White House security breach.

Pierson was appointed to lead the Secret Service as the organization's first female director in March, 2013. She faced an immediately tough task in helping to reform the agency's image following the 2012 prostitution scandal in Cartagena, Colombia. What's happened at her agency in the last month has been perhaps even more difficult. Pierson defended the Service and her leadership to Congress on Tuesday, despite a hostile reception from members of the House Oversight Committee over major security errors and a lack of transparency on what exactly happened.

At the White House press briefing on Wednesday, press secretary Josh Earnest said that President Obama called Pierson earlier in the day to thank her for her long service. Earnest said that Pierson offered her resignation because she felt it was in the "best interests" of the Secret Service, and that both Jeh Johnson and Obama agreed. "The president is deeply appreciative of her service," Earnest said, but he concluded that "a new direction was necessary."

Earnest said that the White House is "confident that the Department of Homeland Security will take a hard look" at how the intruder got so far into the White House, and "that we'll assemble a panel of outside experts who will take a hard look at this situation and develop a set of recommendations that will ensure that the United States Secret Service can meet the high standard they set for themselves."

In an interview with Bloomberg News after resigning, Pierson said that "it's painful to leave" while the agency is in crisis. "Congress has lost confidence in my ability to run the agency," she said. "The media has made it clear that this is what they expected."

Pierson did not sound even remotely happy to be out of the high-pressure job. "I'm disappointed that I didn't have an opportunity to implement structural and operational changes in the agency," she said to Bloomberg. "I had a vision for the future. It's 31 years of service and a firm understanding of the organization." She said that, after her meeting with Johnson earlier Wednesday, leaving felt like "the noble thing to do."

Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement that "problems at the Secret Service pre-date Ms. Pierson's tenure as director, and her resignation certainly does not resolve them." He said that his committee "will continue to examine clear and serious agency failures at the Secret Service that have been exposed."

The committee's ranking member, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., spoke with Pierson earlier Wednesday, he said in a statement, and he "absolutely respect[s] her decision" to resign.

Aside from just the security failure at the White House, the Secret Service also allowed a convicted felon with a gun onto an elevator with President Obama in Atlanta on Sept. 16. After that incident, managers at the Service told agents not to file a written report, and there was no formal review, according to the Washington Examiner.

Earnest said Wednesday that the president did not know about the elevator incident until Tuesday.

Rebecca Nelson contributed to this article.

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Eric Holder Will Resign as Attorney General

Matt Berman, National Journal — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 10:59:51 -0400

This story has been updated.

Attorney General Eric Holder is getting ready to leave the Obama administration. Holder, who has served in the post since February 2009 and is the U.S.' first African-American attorney general, will resign his job at the Department of Justice once a successor is confirmed by the Senate.

A White House official praised Holder's tenure, which made him the fourth-longest serving attorney general ever, and his legacy on civil rights.

NPR first reported the decision. President Obama is expected to address the resignation later this afternoon. Obama only learned of Holder's decision "very recently," according to a White House pool report.

The move isn't exactly unexpected. Holder has had an at-times contentious run in the job, high-lighted by being held in contempt of Congress in June, 2012 over Operation Fast and Furious. Earlier that year, a slew of Republican members of Congress called on Holder to resign over the investigation into the failed gun-running operation, which Holder explicitly rejected during a June Senate hearing.

Earlier this year, Holder got in a tense back-and-forth with Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, over the 2012 contempt charge. "You don't want to go there, buddy," Holder told Gohmert after the congressman told him that the contempt charge was "not a big deal" to the attorney general.

"Good riddance Eric Holder," Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., tweeted in response to the news that Holder is stepping down. "With Holder resigning, my hope is for an Attorney General who respects the rule of law instead of trying to find ways around it," tweeted Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Ala.

But at least one prominent Republican isn't holding a grudge as Holder heads for the exit.

I appreciate AG Holder’s service to our country even though we had strong disagreements at times. I wish him well in future endeavors.
— Lindsey Graham (@GrahamBlog) September 25, 2014

Holder has built up a strong reputation on civil rights, and has acted at times as the Obama administration's leading voice on racial issues. That was evident as recently as this August, when Holder went to Ferguson, Missouri as the administration's representative on the ground.

"I am the attorney general of the United States. But I am also a black man," Holder told a crowd at a Ferguson community college. "I can remember being stopped on the New Jersey turnpike on two occasions and accused of speeding. Pulled over.... 'Let me search your car.' ... Go through the trunk of my car, look under the seats and all this kind of stuff. I remember how humiliating that was and how angry I was and the impact it had on me."

Long-time civil rights activist Myrlie Evers said Thursday that "there has been no greater ally in the fight for justice, civil rights, equal rights and voting rights than Attorney General Holder."

A profile of Holder in The New Yorker earlier this year by Jeffrey Toobin suggested that he would end his tenure sometime in 2014. Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. is a candidate to replace Holder, NPR reports. Verrilli, who defended the Affordable Care Act at the Supreme Court in 2012, was confirmed by the Senate in 2011 for his current job by a 72-16 margin, with 26 Republicans voting in support.

One other possible successor is now saying that he doesn't want the job:

BREAKING: Gov. @DevalPatrick statement from event in Hudson just now: AG is important job "but it's not one for me right now."
— NECN (@NECN) September 25, 2014

That said, the White House says that the president has not made a final decision on a replacement, and no decision will be coming today.

The decision would put a whole new load of pressure on an already tight lame-duck session of Congress after the election. Now—on top of dealing with a budget deadline, ISIS and U.S. military action in Iraq and Syria, and the ongoing fighting in Ukraine—that short session may have to deal with the confirmation of a new attorney general. And if they don't, the move could be the first thing on the docket for the next Congress, with a Senate that could potentially be in Republican hands.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

Dustin Volz and Billy House contributed to this article.

(Image via Flickr user North Charleston)

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President Obama Praises Syria Coalition and Warns Extremists 'Plotting' Against America

Matt Berman, National Journal — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 16:09:43 -0400

After a night full of U.S. military strikes in Syria, President Obama gave a brief statement Tuesday morning laying out what happened, thanking his coalition partners, and making clear that there will be more to come.

The strikes began late Monday night, aimed primarily at ISIS targets, including individual fighters, training grounds, command and control centers, a finance center, supply trucks, and armored vehicles. Partnering with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, and Qatar, the U.S. launched 14 total strikes on Islamic State targets in Raqqa, Dayr az Zawr, Al Hasakah, and Abu Kamal.

"America is proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with these nations on behalf of our common security," Obama said Tuesday of the "broad coalition" of Arab states. "The strength of this coalition makes it clear to the world that this is not America's fight alone."

The president also said the U.S. "will move forward with our plans supported by bipartisan majorities in Congress to ramp up our effort to train and equip the Syrian opposition who are the best counterweight to [ISIS] and the Assad regime."

The U.S. military late Monday also bombed ISIS targets in Iraq, bringing the total number of strikes there to 194 since operations began on Aug. 8.

But the U.S. didn't just go after ISIS Monday night and early Tuesday morning. The U.S. military, acting alone, launched eight strikes on Khorasan Group targets near Aleppo, Syria. U.S. intelligence believes that the group, which is associated with al-Qaida, poses a more serious, direct threat to the U.S. and Europe than ISIS. That group is led by Muhsin al-Fadhli, who is believed to have been close to Osama bin Laden. Khorasan Group has reportedly been working with bomb-makers and trying to recruit Americans and Europeans as a means of acquiring passports.

In a statement released early Tuesday, U.S. Central Command said that the group was planning an imminent attack against U.S. and Western interests, but provided no further details.

"It must be clear to anyone who would plot against America and try to do Americans harm that we will not tolerate safe havens for terrorists who threaten our people," Obama said Tuesday on the strikes on the Khorasan Group, whom he called "seasoned al-Qaida operatives."

From here, President Obama is off to the United Nations Climate Summit in New York.

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The U.S. Military Has Begun Striking ISIS in Syria

Matt Berman, National Journal — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 10:01:58 -0400

The U.S. military has begun strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria.

"I can confirm that U.S. military and partner forces are undertaking military action against ISIL terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles," Rear Adm. John Kirby announced late Monday night, without providing any more immediate details outside of saying that the "decision to conduct these strikes was made earlier today by the U.S. Central Command commander under authorization granted him by the commander in chief."

U.S. Central Command provided far more detail on the strikes Tuesday morning. Along with Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, the U.S. military conducted 14 strikes on Islamic State targets in Raqqa, Dayr az Zawr, Al Hasakah, and Abu Kamal. According to CENTCOM, the strikes "destroyed or damaged...ISIL fighters, training compounds, headquarters and command and control facilities, storage facilities, a finance center, supply trucks and armed vehicles." The five partner nations "participated in or supported the airstrikes."

You can see video of strikes on ISIS militants in Syria here, released by the Navy early Tuesday.

In addition to the strikes against ISIS, the U.S. military alone ran eight strikes west of Aleppo, Syria against the Khorasan Group, a group of former al-Qaida members that the U.S. considersa more direct threat to the United States and Europe. Those strikes were aimed at "training camps, an explosives and munitions production facility, a communication building and command and control facilities."

Raqqa is considered the Islamic State's "home base," and the operation began without the approval of Syria's Bashar al-Assad. However, according to the Syrian foreign ministry, the U.S.did inform the country's permaneny envoy to the United Nations that the strikes would occur. The U.S. military believes over two-thirds of Islamic State militants to be in Syria. These new attacks also included four strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq, bringing the total number of U.S. strikes in that country to 194 since August 8.

President Obama will deliver a statement at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning before heading to New York for the United Nations Climate Summit, according to the White House. Last week, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the Senate Armed Services Committee that U.S. Central Command was in the process of "refining and finalizing" a plan for military force in Syria against Islamic State command and control and infrastructure.

Qatar's exact involvement is, so far, still hazy.

Officials said Qatar had signed up but then waived on joining strikes. Officials say Qatar is participating, but not clear how.
— Julian E. Barnes (@julianbarnes) September 23, 2014

CNN reports that the strikes are not time-sensitive:

BREAKING: Targets tonight were not time sensitive, mostly buildings and other hard targets - source to @JimAcostaCNN
— CNN NationalSecurity (@NatSecCNN) September 23, 2014

The first hints of the operation came just under half an hour before the Pentagon's statement, when a Twitter user who says he is in Raqqa, Syria reported bombings.

The airstrikes 5/6 concentrated near the 'governorate building' ISIS's main HQ. Meanwhile, sounds of warplanes can be heard clearly
— Abdulkader Hariri (@3bdUlkaed6r) September 23, 2014

The sky is full drones over Raqqa now
— Abdulkader Hariri (@3bdUlkaed6r) September 23, 2014

This was followed up by Kirby's initial Twitter confirmation.

US military & partner nation forces have begun striking ISIL targets in Syria using mix of fighters, bombers and Tomahawk missiles.
— Rear Adm. John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) September 23, 2014

Last week, The Guardian reported on Syrians in Raqqa waiting for the American strikes to begin. "Raqqa will be completely destroyed," said Abu Maya Al-Raqawi, a worker from the city. Militants in the area appeared to be ready for any strikes. "I can sense the nervousness within ISIS members," a lawyer in Raqqa told The Guardian. "I don't see them roaming our streets like they were a couple of months ago."

The danger, NBC's Richard Engel tweeted Monday night, "is ISIS had time to prepare a response to this."

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who recently said he couldn't imagine how the U.S. could "avoid putting combat troops on the ground in some capacity" to fight the Islamic State, gave his early support to the mission.

All Americans must stand w/ Pres Obama in our war against ISIS - particularly tonight's air strikes in Syria
— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) September 23, 2014

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said in a Monday night statement of support that "to defeat ISIS, we must cut off the head of the snake, which exists in Syria." Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a big critic of the Obama administration's foreign policy, said he supported the strikes in a statement Tuesday.

But at least one member of Congress is not on board. "It's irresponsible & immoral that instead of debating & voting on war, congressional leaders chose to recess Congress for nearly two months," Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., tweeted Monday night.

The president reportedly spoke with House Speaker John Boehner about the strikes earlier Monday evening. CNN reports that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Armed Services Chair Buck McKeon were also briefed. Mckeon said in a statement Monday night that "this is one step in what will be a long fight against ISIL." Senate Intelligence Chair Dianne Feinstein was briefed by Vice President Biden earlier Monday, according to her office.

Dustin Volz and Emma Roller contributed to this article.

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Chuck Hagel: The U.S. Isn't Trying to Contain The Islamic State. It's Trying to Destroy It.

Matt Berman, National Journal — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 16:50:45 -0400

After some confusion following a news conference Wednesday morning by President Obama, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel tried to make clear that afternoon on CNN what the administration's goal is in its actions against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

"It's not contain," Hagel told CNN's Jim Sciutto. "It's exactly what the president said: degrade and destroy."

But even then, there is still some question over just how much the Obama administration would like to see ISIS degraded. Hagel said that the mission is specifically to "degrade and destroy the capability of ISIL to come after U.S. interests all over the world, and our allies." Whether that means the administration would only be satisfied with a complete destruction of ISIS or if it would accept something that just leaves the group radically weakened is uncertain.

Hagel was not completely clear over just how great a threat ISIS poses right now to U.S. interests, particularly within U.S. territory. "We are aware of over 100 U.S. citizens who have U.S. passports who are fighting in the Middle East with ISIL forces," he said. "There may be more, we don't know." But that doesn't necessarily mean there is a direct threat from ISIS right now to the homeland.

"We know they're a threat," Hagel said, without saying whether or not there is a specific threat to the U.S. homeland. "We know they're brutal. We know they are ... something that we have never seen before ... there's a dangerous, dangerous ideology of brutality of a barbaric nature that we have not seen before. So my job as secretary of Defense is not to second-guess what may be or what's going to be."

That isn't at all to say the Defense secretary underplayed how potentially dangerous ISIS could be to the United States and its allies. "This crowd is as dangerous a group of people, beyond just terrorists, they are an army, marrying this with an ideology and a capacity to do things," he said. "They control half of Iraq today. They control half of Syria today. We better be taking them seriously."

"You've got to destroy it," Hagel said later. "Because if we don't destroy it, it will get worse." CNN's Sciutto later asked Hagel if he would "vow" that ISIS would be destroyed, not "just degraded or contained."

"Well, vows are something beyond my mortal capacity of doing," Hagel responded. But, he said, "We will do everything possible that we can do to destroy their capacity to inflict harm on our people and western values and our interests."

Emma Roller contributed to this article.

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Obama: ISIL 'Has No Place in the 21st Century'

Matt Berman and Marina Koren, National Journal — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 17:19:38 -0400

"Today, the entire world is appalled by the brutal murder of Jim Foley," President Obama said at a press conference Wednesday in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts.

Obama proceeded to condemn the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the militants responsible for American journalist James Foley's death, in the harshest possible terms.

"ISIL speaks for no religion," Obama said, using a different name for the group. "Their victims are overwhelmingly Muslim, and no faith teaches people to massacre innocents. No just God would stand for what they did yesterday, and what they do every single day. ISIL has no ideology. Their ideology is bankrupt."

The president spoke of ISIS militants "rampaging" through Iraq, "killing innocent, unarmed civilians," kidnapping women and children, subjecting them to "torture and rape and slavery."

Video footage of an ISIS militant beheading Foley was released Tuesday afternoon, and judged to be authentic by the National Security Council on Wednesday morning. Foley, 40, was abducted in Syria in late 2012 and was not heard from during his captivity. Intelligence officials in England are now trying to determine whether the militant in the video was British, based on his accent. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that his government is "very concerned by the apparent fact that the murderer in question is British" and said officials are "urgently investigating."

In the video, an ISIS militant threatened the life of another American captive, journalist Steven Sotloff. Sotloff, a freelance reporter, was captured near the Syria-Turkey border last year.

"One thing we can all agree on is that a group like ISIL has no place in the 21st century," Obama said.

Foley's parents spoke with Obama by phone, they said Wednesday. His mother Diane released a statement about her son on Facebook on Tuesday night. "We have never been prouder of our son Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people," she said. "We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria, or anywhere in the world."

Obama said he told Foley's parents that "we are all heart broken at their loss, and join them in honoring Jim and all that he did."

The U.S. has been hitting ISIS targets in Iraq with airstrikes for nearly two weeks, an operation that began with a humanitarian mission to help Iraqi Yazidis who were under siege by the militant group in northern Iraq. The military ran 23 air strikes on ISIS targets over the weekend, and American planes and drones have conducted close to a dozen strikes in Iraq since Tuesday, officials told the AP Wednesday morning. On Monday, U.S. strikes helped to free the Mosul Dam from ISIS control, Obama told reporters then.

The U.S. conducted 14 strikes on Wednesday, bringing the total to 84.

Obama did not address specific actions that U.S. forces may take in Iraq moving forward. His remarks, however, suggested that the U.S. will continue fighting against ISIS. "The United States of America will continue to do what we must do to protect our people," he said. "We will be vigilant and we will be relentless. When people harm Americans anywhere, we do what's necessary to see that justice is done."

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Secretary of State John Kerry called Foley "brave and bold."

"There is evil in this world, and we all have come face to face with it once again," Kerry said of ISIS. "Ugly, savage, inexplicable, nihilistic, and valueless evil."

The secretary was more direct in his policy promise about future U.S. action against the militant group. "Make no mistake: We will continue to confront ISIL wherever it tries to spread its despicable hatred," Kerry said. "ISIL and the wickedness it represents must be destroyed, and those responsible for this heinous, vicious atrocity will be held accountable."

Here, a collection of some of Foley's work.

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Watch George W. Bush Get a Bucket of Ice Water Dumped on His Head

Matt Berman, National Journal — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 10:08:37 -0400

In the realm of great presidential debates, where every American executive is stacked up against every other on some front, there's now at least one spot where George W. Bush has exceeded Barack Obama: Ability to be doused in ice water.

On Wednesday morning, the former president posted a video on his Facebook page for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the charity event that is still dominating Facebook news feeds everywhere.

Laura Bush, the former first lady, poured the water over her husband's head. And, as the challenge goes, Bush passed the ice baton to Bill Clinton.

Bush isn't by any means the first politician (or former politician) to be submerged in ice water for charity. But so far at least, Obama has said that he won't enter the fray, outside of writing a check for the ALS charity. That's despite challenges coming his way from Ethel Kennedy,LeBron James, and, uh, Justin Bieber.

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Obama: The Situation in Iraq 'Has Greatly Improved'

Matt Berman, National Journal — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 15:45:49 -0400

President Obama announced "progress" in the American military's targeted operations in Iraq in a press statement Thursday from Martha's Vineyard, Mass. That said, the United States will continue airstrikes "to protect our people and facilities in Iraq."

On Wednesday night, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters that a humanitarian operation to send in U.S. ground troops to help escort thousands of Yazidi Iraqis off Mount Sinjar was "far less likely now" because of seemingly successful airstrikes and humanitarian airdrops. Defense Department officials told The New York Times that thousands of Yazidis have been able to escape ISIS's siege on the mountain, and that military advisers who were in the area for 24 hours have found that "the situation is much more manageable."

"The bottom line is," Obama said, "the situation on the mountain has greatly improved and Americans should be very proud of our efforts because [through] the skill and professionalism of our military and the generosity of our people, we broke the ISIL siege of Mount Sinjar, and we helped save many innocent lives." Obama said that the success of these efforts means that his administration does not now expect to need an "additional operation to evacuate people off the mountain, and it's unlikely we're going to need to continue humanitarian air drops on the mountain."

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told the press earlier that the U.S. would consider sending in ground troops—but not combat troops—if those military advisers deemed it necessary to rescue Yazidis. The Obama administration has repeatedly insisted that no combat troops will be involved in the ongoing operation in Iraq.

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Obama Considering Boots on the Ground in Iraq

Sarah Mimms and Matt Berman, National Journal — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 16:54:04 -0400

The Obama administration has consistently said that there will be no combat troops on the ground as part of its ongoing operation in northern Iraq to push back ISIS and bring humanitarian aid to thousands of under-siege Yazidi civilians. Now, it's sounding like the U.S. may come close.

Ben Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Wednesday that the U.S. is considering sending ground troops into Iraq to help the humanitarian mission to rescue the Yazidis. Military advisers will give their recommendations on the use of troops to the White House in the next few days, following an assessment from about 130 Marines and special-operations forces now in Iraq.

The distinction here is that these would not be combat troops, as much as ground forces with the specific mission of helping rescue Yazidi refugees. Ground combat with ISIS would not be part of the plan. Whether the humanitarian troops would be forced into combat scenarios is another question entirely, and Rhodes admitted that best laid plans don't always work out. "There are dangers involved in any military operation," Rhodes said.

As Obama said himself on Saturday, when discussing a hypothetical military outcome in Iraq, having troops on the ground during any mission makes them "vulnerable." "However many troops we had, we would have to now be reinforcing, I'd have to be protecting them, and we'd have a much bigger job," Obama said.

But Rhodes told reporters Wednesday that Obama is "confident that we can have a limited military objective."

Rhodes tried to make the distinction between what the White House is considering—the introduction of humanitarian troops—and what the president and others in his administration have already ruled out. "What he's ruled out is reintroducing U.S. forces into combat on the ground in Iraq," Rhodes said from Martha's Vineyard. A rescue operation, he maintains, is "different than reintroducing U.S. forces in a combat role to take the fight to ISIL."

The Obama administration has stressed over recent weeks that combat troops would not be returning to Iraq. As the president said explicitly in a statement Saturday: "American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq." When pressed on the possibility of new American forces entering Iraq during a press conference just a day earlier, press secretary Josh Earnest emphasized 11 times that troops would not return to the country "in a combat role."

When Obama announced that he had authorized limited strikes on ISIS to go along with humanitarian aid drops last Thursday, he said: "American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq, because there's no American military solution to the larger crisis in Iraq." Obama repeated that "there's no American military solution" in a statement Monday.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has been a bit less obtuse. "There will be no boots on the ground in Iraq," he told Marines on Tuesday. "As the president has made very clear, we're not going back to Iraq in any of the same combat dimensions we were once in," he said.

Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday that "there will be no reintroduction of American combat forces into Iraq."

Obama's insistence on keeping combat troops out of Iraq goes back to even before the current operation. "We will not be sending U.S. troops back into combat in Iraq," Obama said from the White House in mid-June.

Any ground troops in Iraq, combat or otherwise, could lead to political opposition. Already Wednesday, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is calling on Obama to turn to Congress:

. @BarackObama needs to come to Congress to authorize any prolonged military action in #Iraq, in particular any troops on the ground.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) August 13, 2014

And it's not just Republicans. On Tuesday, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., called on Obama to ask for congressional approval "for the current air campaign" against ISIS. And last week, after Obama authorized strikes, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said that while he had been assured by the White House that no American ground troops will be committed to fighting ISIS, he still had "concerns." Expect those concerns to get much louder if the White House decides to send in troops. Of any kind.

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Obama: U.K. and France Will Join U.S. In Delivering Aid to Iraq

Matt Berman and Clare Foran, National Journal — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 10:08:13 -0400

President Obama announced that Britain and France will join the United States' humanitarian efforts in Iraq during a Saturday morning news conference from the White House's South Lawn.

"This morning I spoke with Prime Minister Cameron from the United Kingdom and President Hollande from France and I'm pleased both leaders express strong support for actions and agreed to join us in providing humanitarian assistance," he said. Obama did not say if France and Britain would be aiding in military efforts against ISIS.

Obama also addressed the administration's goal in conducting strikes on Islamic State in Iraq and Syria targets. The "initial goal is to not only make sure americans are protected, but also to deal with this humanitarian situation in Sinjar," he said. "We feel confident that we can prevent ISIL from going up a mountain and slaughtering the people that are there, but the next step is how do we get safe passage to the people down from the mountain and how do we re-locate them so that they are safe," the president said.

"So far these strikes have successfully destroyed arms and equipment that ISIL terrorists could have used against Erbil," Obama said. He continued, saying that "If these terrorists threaten our facilities or our personnel, we will take action to protect our people."

ISIS' advance over recent months "has been more rapid than the intelligence estimates, and I think the expectations of policymakers, both in and outside of Iraq," he said.

"We have to make sure that ISIL is not engaging in the actions that could cripple a country permanently," he said, adding that the U.S. has been "working diligently...for a long time" on a "counterterrorism element" to make sure militants in Syria and Iraq don't launch attacks on western or American targets.

Obama emphasized that his administration is focused on getting a new Iraqi government "formed and finalized," putting more pressure on current Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "It is so important to have an Iraqi government on the ground that is taking responsibility, that we can help, that we can partner with, that has the capacity to get alliances in the region," he said. Maliki is quickly losing allies around Iraq, including among his own State of Law party, and the U.S. has reportedly pushed for his ouster.

When asked about a timeline for ending U.S. intervention in Iraq, the president did not commit to a firm date: "I don't think we're going to solve this problem in weeks….I think this is going to take some time. [...] This is going to be a long-term project."

The president was adamant, however, that the U.S. would continue to play a limited role in addressing the conflict.

"The nature of this problem is not one that a U.S. military can solve," Obama said. "We can assist, and our military can obviously play an extraordinary role in bolstering efforts of an Iraqi partner as they make the right steps to keep their country together, but we can't do it for them."

The president said that he will continue to consult with Congress as operations go on. Right now, he said, his administration does not need any additional funding from Congress for the operations.

The first U.S. airstrikes in Iraq came early Friday morning, just hours after Obama announced that he had authorized strikes against ISIS targets to go along with humanitarian aid to the tens of thousands of refugees under siege by the extremist group. The initial strikes, coming in two rounds announced by the Pentagon, targeted ISIS mortar positions as well as a vehicle convoy and were said to have "successfully eliminated" ISIS militants.

On Saturday morning, more humanitarian airdrop operations were conducted over Sinjar Mountain, dropping more than 28,000 meals ready to eat and over 1,500 gallons of drinking water.

Despite U.S. intervention, the situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate. Iraqi officials said Saturday that ISIS had taken hundreds of women hostage. The kidnappings targeted Yazidi women, adherents of a religion that blends Islam, Christianity and Zoroastrianism.

Later Saturday morning, President Obama will head to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

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Obama to Iraq: 'America Is Coming to Help'

Matt Berman, Marina Koren, and Kaveh Waddell, National Journal — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 09:34:01 -0400

The United States has authorized the use of targeted military airstrikes and carried out a humanitarian operation in northern Iraq, President Obama said Thursday night.

The aid mission dropped by aircraft 5,300 gallons of fresh drinking water and 8,000 meals ready-to-eat to thousands of Iraqis who have been stranded atop a mountain, driven there by attacks from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Obama said he directed U.S. forces to "take targeted strikes" against ISIS to prevent the terrorist group from advancing in the Iraqi city of Erbil and threatening U.S. personnel there. "We plan to stand vigilant and take action if they threaten our facilities anywhere in Iraq, including the consulate in Erbil and embassy in Baghdad," the president said in a late-night statement.

The United States, he said, won't keep the refugees waiting either. "Earlier this week, one Iraqi in the area cried to the world, 'There is no one coming to help,' " Obama said. "Well, today America is coming to help."

Senior administration officials said Thursday night that no airstrikes have been carried out. "This is going to be a very long-term effort against" ISIS, one said.

In his remarks, Obama said the United States will also provide "urgent assistance" to the Iraqi government and Kurdish forces in their fight against ISIS.

He added: "We can act, carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential act of genocide."

Obama addressed a war-weary America directly. "I know that many of you are rightly concerned about any American military action in Iraq, even limited strikes like these," he said. Therefore, he continued, "as commander in chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq, so as we support Iraqis as they take the fight to these terrorists, American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq, because there is no American military solution to the larger crisis in Iraq."

Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement Thursday night that ISIS's mission "bear[s] all the warning signs and hallmarks of genocide." "For anyone who needed a wake-up call, this is it," he said.

Before the president's statement, White House officials made the rounds by phone, informing members of Congress about their plans on the crisis, according to CNN.

Earlier, a New York Times report, which cited Kurdish officials, said American military forces launched airstrikes on at least two ISIS-related targets Thursday night. The Pentagon denied any such action.

McClatchy, citing a resident of the city of Kalak, reported an air attack Thursday near the Kurdish capital of Erbil that is currently controlled by ISIS. The publication did not draw a connection to the airstrikes reported by The Times.

About 40,000 Iraqi Yazidis—adherents of a religion that blends Islam, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism—have been trapped on a mountaintop in northern Iraq by ISIS forces since Monday. More than a dozen have already died of dehydration.

A top Kurdish commander implored the U.S. to intervene Thursday. "The Americans keep saying they will help us," he said. "Well, if they plan to help they had better do it now."

On CNN Thursday night, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said of ISIS: "If you believe these people are a threat to our homeland, which I do, there's no way to deal with them without American airpower."

The senator warned of what could come later if the United States doesn't act now. "If we do not contain this now and hit them using airpower, this goes on six months and they go into Lebanon and then Jordan, you're probably going to have to have boots on the ground," Graham said. "Nobody wants that."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., joined Graham in a statement after Obama's remarks Thursday night, in which he called for a more comprehensive White House strategy. "This should include the provision of military and other assistance to our Kurdish, Iraqi, and Syrian partners who are fighting ISIS," McCain said. "It should include U.S. air strikes against ISIS leaders, forces, and positions both in Iraq and Syria. It should include support to Sunni Iraqis who seek to resist ISIS."

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Obama Bashes Congress Over Gridlock

Matt Berman, Marina Koren, and Emma Roller — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 15:43:43 -0400

In a last-minute press conference at the White House Friday, President Obama hit congressional Republicans for not passing an emergency border funding bill and for, as he sees it, keeping Congress unproductive.

"We all agree that there's a problem that needs to be solved in a portion of our southern border, and we even agree on most of the solutions," Obama said. "Instead of working together...House Republicans, as we speak, are trying to pass the most extreme and unworkable versions of a bill that they already know is going nowhere."

The House GOP is scrambling, Obama said, "just so they can check a box before leaving town this month."

On the border, Obama said, "I'm going to have to act alone."

Obama also chastised Republicans in the Senate for blocking an ambassador to Sierra Leone, which is in the midst of an Ebola outbreak, and Guatemala, which is on the other end of the U.S. immigration crisis.

He cited Senate Republicans for prolonging a vote on a new ambassador to Russia for "purely political reasons."

"We shouldn't be having an argument about placing career diplomats with bipartisan support in countries around the world where we have to have a presence," he said.

"The truth of the matter, he continued, "is that there's a big world out there, and that as indispensable as we are to try to lead it, there's still going to be tragedies out there, and there are going to be conflicts, and our job is to just make sure that we continue to project what's right, what's just, and, you know, that we're building coalitions of like-minded countries and partners in order to advance not only our core security interests, but also the interests of the world as a whole."

Obama also addressed post-9/11 America, in talking about the CIA. "We tortured some folks," he said. "We did some things that were contrary to our values. I understand why it happened. I think it's important when we look back to recall how afraid people were after the Twin Towers fell, and the Pentagon had been hit, and a plane in Pennsylvania had fallen and people did not know whether more attacks were imminent and there was enormous pressure on our law enforcement and our national security teams to try to deal with this."

He continued: "A lot of those folks were working hard and under enormous pressure, and are real patriots. But having said all that, we did some things that were wrong."

It may be the first day of August, but there is a lot going on, so it's not surprising that the White House weighed in before the weekend. A cease-fire in Gaza brokered by the U.S. and the U.N. on Thursday fell apart less than two hours after it took effect, and there are now reports that an Israeli soldier has been captured by Hamas.

In his statement, Obama slammed Hamas for breaking the ceasefire and abducting an Israeli soldier, but also acknowledged that civilian deaths by Israeli air strikes "weigh on our conscience." "A ceasefire was one way in which could stop the killing," he said.

"I want to see everything possible done to make sure that Palestinian civilians are not being killed, and it is heartbreaking to see what's happening there," Obama said.

Obama also said that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday morning. The White House, together with the European Union, announced new sanctions Tuesday against more Russian banks and energy and defense companies.

"We can't control how Mr. Putin thinks, but what we can do is say to Mr. Putin, if you continue on the path of arming separatists, with heavy armaments that evidence suggests may have resulted in 300 innocent people on a jet dying and that violates international law and undermines the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine," Obama said, "then you're going to face consequences that will hurt your country."

Obama brushed off a question about whether the U.S. has lost its influence in the world. "Apparently, people have forgotten that America, as the most powerful country on earth, still does not control everything around the world," he said. "And so our diplomatic efforts often take time."

"Do you wish you could have done more?" CBS's Bill Plante said then.

"On which one?" Obama asked.

"On any of them," Plante replied.

Towards the end of the conference, as multiple reports shouted questions at him, Obama played chummy. "I thought that you guys were going to ask me how I was going to spend my birthday. The happy birthday thing."

Back in Washington, House Republicans are currently working to vote on a border measure that provides emergency funding to address the influx of unaccompanied minors from Central America. That $694 million bill, even if it does pass the House later Friday, is at a funding level far below what the Senate wants, which in turn is less than what the Obama administration has asked for.

Without legislation for emergency funding, the Department of Homeland Security may not have enough money to adequately control the crisis in the coming weeks, department Secretary Jeh Johnson has said. "We're going to run out of money to deal with this," Johnson said in late July. With the Senate now adjourned until August fifth, with no work planned during Congress' five-week recess, and the House soon to follow, there is virtually zero chance of Congress giving Homeland Security and the White House any of the $3.7 billion in funds they have requested by August.

"Without additional resources and help from Congress," Obama said Friday, "we're just not going to have the resources we need to fully solve the problem. That means while they're out on vacation, I'm going to have to make some tough choices to meet the challenge. With or without Congress."

The president opened with a statement about July's jobs growth, which showed that the U.S. economy added 209,000 in the month. The report itself wasn't anything groundbreaking: it came in slightly below expectations, and many key aspects of the report—like the number of long-term unemployed, and average hourly wage growth—remained unchanged from June.

"That's why my administration keeps taking whatever actions we can take on our own to help working families," Obama said.

On Monday, the president will participate in the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, a three-day conference in Washington. The presidents of Liberia and Sierra Leone, two of the three West African nations hit hardest by the Ebola outbreak, have canceled plans to attend.

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House Votes to Move Forward on Lawsuit Against Obama

Billy House and Matt Berman, National Journal — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 10:07:04 -0400

The House of Representatives voted Wednesday night to do what became inevitable weeks ago: proceed with a lawsuit to sue President Obama over executive actions related to Obamacare. The vote was split along party lines, with nearly all Republicans voting in favor of pursuing the lawsuit and all Democrats opposed.

This is the first time either the House or Senate as an institution has brought a lawsuit against a president over enforcement of the law. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin did file a lawsuit challenging the president's handling of congressional health benefits, but a federal judge last week dismissed that suit.

So what happens next? Now, it's up to Speaker John Boehner and the House counsel for a "designation" of the action, meaning work will then begin with lawyers to finalize the language and legal direction of the lawsuit, deciding which arguments will have the best chances of success in court.

Approval of the eventual direction and filing of the lawsuit will not have to go before a vote of the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG), a process that had been previously set. The outcome of such a vote would likely not have changed the direction of the suit anyway. The BLAG is comprised of three Republican members of House leadership—the speaker, majority leader, and majority whip—and the two top leaders of the Democratic Caucus—the minority leader and whip.

The BLAG represented House Republicans in their effort to defend the Defense of Marriage Act before the Supreme Court, which was unsuccessful.

But a senior Democratic aide said Wednesday that the BLAG was "cut out" of the process of approving this lawsuit because "Republicans were worried about the optics of [Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi being involved."

From there, a federal judge has to decide whether the House has legal standing in its case. That question has lawyers split. For the House to be able to act as a plaintiff in the case, it has to prove that it has in some way been harmed by the defendant—in this case, the president. Constitutional experts—several of whom have been called this month to testify at a hearing for each side—gave their own conflicting views of whether Boehner's planned litigation could pass basic legal muster.

Republicans have so far declined Democrats' demands to speculate on the potential monetary costs of the suit.

The suit itself is rooted in the Obama administration's decision to delay the Affordable Care Act's employer mandate. Although it may seem bizarre for John Boehner to push a lawsuit because of a delay in Obamacare, House Republicans are using this as an example of executive overreach. As they see it, Obama overstepped his authority by delaying the mandate without turning to Congress, and as such is not faithfully executing the law.

Last July, the Obama administration delayed the employer mandate, which was supposed to take effect this year, until 2015. In February, the administration again delayed the mandate, pushing it back to 2016 for businesses with 50 to 99 full-time workers. The mandate is the requirement in the ACA that employers with 50 or more full-time employees provide health care or pay a fine.

Sam Baker contributed to this article.

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