May 08, 2013

MEDIA ADVISORY: Progressive Caucus to Hold Hearing on Drones

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 8, 2013

Press Contacts
Adam Sarvana (Grijalva) – (202) 225-2435
Jeremy Slevin (Ellison) – (202) 225-4755
Carrie Adams (Lee) – (202) 225-2661

 

Washington, D.C. – Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, including Peace and Security Task Force Chair Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and CPC Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), will hold a hearing on United States drone policy today, Wednesday, May 8th,  at 3:00 p.m. The oversight hearing will focus on lethal drones operations abroad, questions of due process, the implications for executive and congressional war making authority, as well as the precedent being set as other nations rapidly adopt drone technology.

Reps. Lee, Grijalva, and Ellison recently sent a letter to the president asking the administration to explain the legal basis for drone strikes. “It is far past time that the White House openly discuss the drones program,” the authors wrote. “The President has full reign to protect the United States as Commander in Chief, but Congress has a vital oversight role in this issue, and we cannot shy away from those responsibilities.”

What:

Progressive Caucus to Hold Hearing on Drones 

Who:
  • Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chair of the CPC Peace and Security Task Force
  • Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
  • Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
  • Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus

 

Testimony:

  • The Honorable Ron Dellums – Former Chair – House Armed Services Committee
  • Zeke Johnson, Director, Amnesty International’s USA's Security with Human Rights Campaign
  • Professor Sarah Knuckey, International Human Rights Lawyer, New York University
  • Chris Rogers, Program Officer, Regional Policy Initiative at Open Society Foundation
  • Professor Naureen Shah, Counterterrorism & Human Rights Lawyer, Columbia Law
  • Adam Baron, McClatchy News Service
  • Video Testimony from Baraa Shiban , Youth Representative in Yemen’s National Dialogue and Reprieve Project Coordinator

When:

TODAY, Wednesday, May 8th, 3:00 p.m.

Where:      

2226 Rayburn House Office Building