Iraq - Testimonies Before Congress

Iraq has been a hot topic in Congress during January 2007 as recorded in the Congressional Record. On Jan. 11 Representative Foxx spoke in support of President Bush's plan for Iraq. On the same day McDermott expressed concerns about the PSA (Production Sharing Agreements) American oil companies are pursuing in Iraq. On Jan. 17 sixteen Congressmen introduced H.R. 508. If enacted, among other things, the bill would require a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops and government contractors within six months of enactment. On Jan. 16 Representative Chet Edwards submitted to the Congressional Record the observations of a young Army officer who recently served in Iraq. On Jan. 18 members of the House of Representatives introduced by Congresswoman Waters recounted the reasons they originally voted to authorize military force in Iraq. On Jan.22 the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition spoke about providing cost accountability for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Finally, on Jan. 30 Senator Bond spoke about introducing the National Defense Enhancement and National Guard Empowerment Act to recognize the Guard's contribution to our country's stability. (If any of the above links do not work, try them again in a few minutes.)

NATO to Increase Assistance to Afghanistan

Earlier today, in Brussels, NATO Foreign Ministers agreed to increase support in Afghanistan. The meeting agenda is available together with some audio and video coverage. Other relevant documents/sites include:

• The U.S. Fact Sheet on assistance for Afghanistan outlining President Bush's plan to ask Congress for and additional $2 billion for reconstruction and an addition $8.6 billion for security
• NATO topic page on Afghanistan with links to news articles and general information
• U.S. Department of State information page on Afghanistan
  

Troop expansion in Iraq

On Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a non-binding resolution opposing President Bush's decision to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq. The President announced his plan in his address to the nation on January 10 and discussed it in the State of the Union address on Tuesday. The Senate Armed Services Committee today heard testimony from Dr. William J. Perry, Ambassador Dennis B. Ross, and General John M. Keane on the current situation in Iraq and the President's plan for an increased military presence.

EPA Staff Responds to ALA Participants

As reported by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on January 22, 2007, EPA staff faced tough questioning from librarians attending the Seattle ALA Midwinter Meeting about the closing of several EPA libraries. The newspaper article also refers to a CRS (Congressional Research Service) report updated Jan. 3, 2007, "Restructuring EPA's Libraries: Background and Issues for Congress."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Jan. 15, 2007, the 21st anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday, thousands of people across the country are choosing to honor his memory by participating in service projects in their communities. For more information about the man who inspired this dedication, access The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute site. The site contains audio excerpts of his sermons and speeches, a biography, an encyclopedia, a document inventory, and information about purchasing compilations of his papers. Dr. King's biography and speeches are also available through the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.

Hurricane Katrina Update

The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the United States Senate have now made available an update about Hurricane Katrina entitled Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared.

Supreme Court rules in patent case

On January 9, 2007, the Supreme Court announced their decision in the Medimmune, Inc. v. Genentech, Inc. case. This case involved the issue of whether or not those who enter into licensing agreements with patent holders can challenge the validity of the patent in court. In the 8-1 decision, the Court decided that they could, maintaining that by entering into licensing agreements or paying royalties to a patent holder one did not thereby forfeit the right to challenge that patent in court.