The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“REPORT ON THE IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE W. BUSH” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E70 on Jan. 13, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REPORT ON THE IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE W. BUSH
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HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, today I have received a report prepared by the majority staff of the House Judiciary Committee, Committee, detailing numerous abuses by the Bush administration over the past 8 years, and recommending a number of steps to restore an appropriate Constitutional balance of power between the executive and legislative branches.
The report, based largely on oversight activities of the Judiciary Committee, and other committees, over the course of the 110th Congress, is titled ``Reining in the Imperial Presidency: Lessons and Recommendations Relating to the Presidency of George W. Bush.''
Issues examined include: The politicization of the Department of Justice; assaults on individual liberty, including extreme interrogation, extraordinary rendition, and warrantless wiretapping of U.S. citizens; the misuse of executive branch regulatory authority and Presidential signing statements; misleading manipulation of pre-Iraq War intelligence; improper retaliation against Administration critics; and excessive secrecy, including non-compliance with congressional oversight.
The report examines how the Bush Administration's legal approach to presidential power has eroded the Constitutional system of checks and balances designed by the Framers to preserve our liberty. It also recommends specific steps that this Congress and the incoming Obama administration should take to restore those checks and balances.
I am having the report posted to the Judiciary Committee Web site, in order to make it available to other members of the committee, to the full House, and to the American public.
I believe this report will be of tremendous benefit helping inform the changes we must make going forward--to repair the damage to our democracy, and to prevent similar abuses from occurring in the future.
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