Disaster in Yemen Proves US Needs to Get a Handle on War-Making Powers

With the American public increasingly aghast at the situation in Yemen, and increasingly aware of US military complicity in what has happened, Yemen is the perfect situation for Congress, and by extension, the voters, to reassert control over overseas conflicts.

Jason Ditz
By Jason Ditz
A protest against the US missile strike against Syria during a rally in New York on Friday, April 7, 2017. (AP/Andres Kudacki)

With the Yemen War fast approaching its third anniversary, Afghanistan well into its 17th year, Iraq and Syria seemingly permanent US wars, and escalations ongoing across Africa, the US has seemingly more wars than ever going on. President Trump has been giving the military increasing autonomy in those wars, and the feeling of loss of control is

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Bipartisan Effort Seeks End To US Involvement In Saudi War On Yemen

The bill proscribes the end of operations in support of the sectarian war and the Saudi naval blockade.

Jason Ditz
By Jason Ditz
U.S. and Saudi troops engage in a joint training exercise in Saudi Arabia. The Pentagon announced last Friday that, for the first time, U.S. boots are officially on the ground on Yemen. (U.S. Army Photo)

We aim to restore Congress as the constitutionally mandated branch of government that may declare war and retain oversight over it. Those were the words of a letter co-written by Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI), two sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution 81. The bipartisan resolution directs the president to end all US military

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Congress Agrees To Give Jeff Sessions $0 To Wage War On Medical Marijuana

Considering Congress also bears responsibility for decades of the failed war on drugs, it is telling that in recent years, those same lawmakers have appeared to soften their stalwart approach.

Carey Wedler
By Carey Wedler
A bag of medical marijuana

The war on drugs is such an abysmal failure that even the lawmakers who have funded it for decades are drawing a line in the sand. Multiple bills in Congress have cropped up in recent months aiming to protect medical marijuana and reschedule cannabis, if not legalize it altogether. The most recent development comes in the form of Congress’

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Protesting Re-Election Bill, Paraguayans Set Congress on Fire

A group of Paraguayan senators voted for a bill that would allow for re-election, permitting right-wing President Horacio Cartes to stand.

teleSUR
By teleSUR
A protester carries a chair to a fire outside the congress building during clashes between police and protesters opposing an approved proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the election of a president to a second term, in Asuncion, Paraguay, Friday, March 31, 2017. (AP/Jorge Saenz)

Thousands of Paraguayans on Friday night took to the streets to protest against the decision of their country’s Congress to amend the constitution to allow for presidential re-election - a move that would allow right-wing President Horacio Cartes to stand in 2018. Tensions reached a boiling point when a group of senators voted for a bill

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FBI Facial Recognition Technology Has ‘No Limits,’ Congressional Hearing Reveals

Law enforcement has access to photos of 50 percent of all adult Americans without their knowledge or consent.

Nika Knight
By Nika Knight
FBI

If Congress doesn't take legislative action, the FBI's vast and growing facial recognition database could someday soon allow the government to track Americans' "every move" in a breathtaking, nationwide violation of the Fourth Amendment. That was the takeaway of a scathing hearing in the Congressional Oversight Committee on the FBI's use of

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Key Highlights And Full Text Of Trump’s Address To Congress

Key highlights, as well as the full video and transcript of Donald Trump’s first address to congress.

ZeroHedge.com
By ZeroHedge.com
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. listen. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

While the full Trump speech transcript is below, for those curious only in the key economic/trade excerpt, it is laid out below: My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the

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