Latest news with #HouseOversightandGovernmentReformCommittee
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Biden speaks publicly for first time since cancer diagnosis
Former President Biden made a public appearance Friday for the first time since his cancer diagnosis earlier this month, speaking at a Delaware ceremony in honor of Memorial Day. Biden's remarks came after a series of tough weeks for him, which have featured two new books containing accusations that his cognitive abilities were slipping toward the end of his presidency, topped off by his diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bone. But Biden could also be back in the spotlight after the release of audio from his 2023 interview with special counsel Robert Hur, who was investigating Biden's handling of classified and sensitive documents. The transcript of the interview was been released last year, but the audio recording wasn't made public until this month. After the audio's release, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) announced the committee plans to hold hearings on a 'cover-up' concerning Biden's mental acuity and his use of an autopen to sign executive orders and pardons. Comer said Wednesday that he's 'open' to bringing Biden in to testify before the committee on these topics. But Biden didn't reference any of the developments during his speech in New Castle, focusing on honoring those who served in the armed forces and calling for a defense of democracy. He also noted that Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the death of his son, Beau, who served for a year in Iraq and died from brain cancer in 2015. 'We come together to remember the debt we owe to the American military,' he said. 'The military is the solid spine of our nation.' Biden referenced the division that dominates U.S. politics, but he said those who serve don't 'wear a uniform that says 'I'm a Democrat' or 'I'm a Republican'' but 'I'm an American.' He said each generation of the United States has needed to fight to maintain democracy, and it must continue. 'Today, let's renew our pledge to honor our heroes … not only with our words but with our deeds,' he said. Biden spoke to a local news outlet last Friday at Connecticut's Bradley International Airport as he was visiting for his grandson's graduation. Despite the cancer diagnosis, Biden said he was feeling 'great.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lynch, Mfume enter race for top Oversight Committee Dem
Two additional Democrats, Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) and Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), on Thursday launched their bids for the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Mfume, in a letter announcing his candidacy, stated he was 'prepared to meet that moment; as my lifelong friend, successor, and predecessor Elijah Cummings did when he was Oversight Chair under the first twisted Trump administration.' 'The dismantling of our democracy at the hands of the Trump administration and his congressional enablers demands Committee leadership that meets this moment with vigor, experience, principle, and resolve,' Mfume wrote in a 'Dear Colleague' letter. In a letter by Lynch obtained by Punchbowl News, he highlighted his work with the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who stepped back from his daily responsibilities as ranking member earlier this year due to his battle with cancer. Connolly died earlier this month. 'As we all know, Gerry Connolly was all about the work, and I am honored to have earned his trust and endorsement to continue this important work and lead Oversight Democrats at a moment when our decisions and our actions over the coming months may determine the course of our American experiment,' Lynch said in his letter. He also mentioned his more than two decades of experience on the Oversight Committee, which would make him 'well-prepared to manage an extremely talented group of Oversight Democrats as we fight like hell against every action taken by the Trump Administration to curtail individual rights, dismantle our democratic institutions and unload the costs of reckless economic plans onto the backs of America's workers and vulnerable communities.' Earlier on Thursday, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) was the first Democrat to officially announce his candidacy. 'From the Trump administration's attacks on the rule of law, weaponizing the government against its critics, and decimating the services our constituents rely upon–there is a clear and immediate threat to our democracy,' Garcia wrote in a 'Dear Colleague' letter. 'As citizens, patriots, and members of Congress, we must organize, fight back, and defend the principles of freedom, equality, and justice. I'm ready to help lead that fight.' Both Mfume, 76, and Lynch, 70, had voiced interest in the role before announcing their bids. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), 44, has also expressed interest. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who lost her bid for the position to Connolly late last year, passed on running earlier this month. The House Democratic Caucus is slated to hold the election for the ranking member position on June 24. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Lynch, Mfume enter race for top Oversight Committee Dem
Two additional Democrats, Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) and Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), on Thursday launched their bids for the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Mfume, in a letter announcing his candidacy, stated he was 'prepared to meet that moment; as my lifelong friend, successor, and predecessor Elijah Cummings did when he was Oversight Chair under the first twisted Trump administration.' 'The dismantling of our democracy at the hands of the Trump administration and his congressional enablers demands Committee leadership that meets this moment with vigor, experience, principle, and resolve,' Mfume wrote in a 'Dear Colleague' letter. In a letter by Lynch obtained by Punchbowl News, he highlighted his work with the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who stepped back from his daily responsibilities as ranking member earlier this year due to his battle with cancer. Connolly died earlier this month. 'As we all know, Gerry Connolly was all about the work, and I am honored to have earned his trust and endorsement to continue this important work and lead Oversight Democrats at a moment when our decisions and our actions over the coming months may determine the course of our American experiment,' Lynch said in his letter. He also mentioned his more than two decades of experience on the Oversight Committee, which would make him 'well-prepared to manage an extremely talented group of Oversight Democrats as we fight like hell against every action taken by the Trump Administration to curtail individual rights, dismantle our democratic institutions and unload the costs of reckless economic plans onto the backs of America's workers and vulnerable communities.' Earlier on Thursday, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) was the first Democrat to officially announce his candidacy. 'From the Trump administration's attacks on the rule of law, weaponizing the government against its critics, and decimating the services our constituents rely upon–there is a clear and immediate threat to our democracy,' Garcia wrote in a 'Dear Colleague' letter. 'As citizens, patriots, and members of Congress, we must organize, fight back, and defend the principles of freedom, equality, and justice. I'm ready to help lead that fight.' Both Mfume, 77, and Lynch, 70, had voiced interest in the role before announcing their bids. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), 44, has also expressed interest. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who lost her bid for the position to Connolly late last year, passed on running earlier this month. The House Democratic Caucus is slated to hold the election for the ranking member position on June 24.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Garcia becomes first Democrat to run for House Oversight ranking member
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) launched a bid for House Oversight and Government Reform Committee ranking member on Thursday, becoming the first Democrat to formally jump into the race for the party's top spot on the committee. 'From the Trump administration's attacks on the rule of law, weaponizing the government against its critics, and decimating the services our constituents rely upon–there is a clear and immediate threat to our democracy,' Garcia wrote in a 'Dear Colleague' letter. 'As citizens, patriots, and members of Congress, we must organize, fight back, and defend the principles of freedom, equality, and justice. I'm ready to help lead that fight.' Garcia's bid kicks off the race for the committee's ranking member spot after the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) stepped back from his daily responsibilities as ranking member earlier this yer due to his battle with cancer. Connolly died earlier this month. The race is expected to be emblematic of Democrats' broader intraparty debate over generational change. Garcia, 47, could be one of the youngest members running for the position. So far, Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), 77, and Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), 70, have voiced interest in the role. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), 44, has also expressed interest. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who lost her bid for the position to Connolly late last year, passed on running earlier this month. A source familiar told The Hill that Garcia is anchoring his bid on being ready on day one, as well as his experience. Garcia cited his experience as mayor and chief executive of Long Beach, Calif. The congressman noted that in that past role his team used 'audits and data to drive reform, launched new technology to make city services more accessible, and modernized how City Hall operates.' 'We showed that government can be both progressive and effective,' Garcia wrote. 'Driven by values powered by innovation, and always working with the people we serve.' The House Democratic Caucus is slated to hold the election for the ranking member position on June 24. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Robert Garcia announces bid for Oversight ranking member
Rep. Robert Garcia on Thursday announced his intention to run for the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, according to a letter to colleagues obtained by POLITICO. Garcia, a California Democrat who represents parts of Los Angeles County, emphasized in the letter his experience as the former mayor of Long Beach — and suggested his caucus needed to value both the experiences of 'seasoned legislators with the fresh energy and bold ideas of our newer Members.' The 47-year-old, who is in his second term in the House, is the first lawmaker to formally announce his candidacy in a race that will likely test generational tensions in the Democracy Party. 'Oversight is the heart of Congress' responsibility to the American people — exposing corruption, protecting taxpayer dollars, reforming government, and demanding transparency from those in power,' Garcia wrote. 'We must ensure that government works for working families, not only for the wealthy and well-connected.' Garcia, who also pointed to the role's significance in the party's accountability efforts aimed at the current administration, stressed that the oversight ranking member position was not just about opposing President Donald Trump. The job also required a focus on good governance, including protecting the Government Accountability Office and the independence of inspectors general, he said. Republicans have increasingly attacked GAO, Congress' investigative body for federal agencies, and Trump dismissed a number of the independent agency watchdogs early in his tenure. Informal jockeying for the party's top spot on the Oversight Committee began when Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the committee's former ranking member, announced he would step aside amid a battle with esophageal cancer. Connolly died at age 75 earlier this month. On Tuesday, Democratic leadership announced the election for Connolly's successor would take place June 24. Candidates will first go before House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which will then make recommendations for the full caucus. Other Democratic Reps. who have suggested they may run are 70-year-old Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, 76-year-old Kweisi Mfume of Maryland, and 44-year-old Jasmine Crockett of Texas. Crockett told former CNN host Jim Acosta in an interview Wednesday she was gearing up to launch a bid. She'd previously wavered after the Black Caucus signaled it would back Mfume, who is a more senior member, before ultimately deciding to forge ahead. "Yeah, absolutely, this is a position in which my colleagues will be the ones to decide,' Crockety said in the interview when asked about her interest in the position. 'The question is, 'why me?' And I think it's a matter of who else but me in this moment."
