Day 49.7. Theresa Grafenstine -Did the Awans Do the DHS Hack On MicroPACT

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Day 48.1 Unsealed Indictments - Ft. Belvoir Smuggler's Cove?

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CONYERS: More Than 30 House Judiciary, Armed Services & LGBT Equality Caucus Democrats Urge Secretary Of Defense & Joint Chiefs Of Staff To Not Comply With Trump's Unconstitutional Transgender Ban

Washington, D.C. – More than 50 Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, Armed Services Committee, and the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus today wrote to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. to urge that they not comply with any unconstitutional directive to ban transgender individuals from serving in the United States military. 

Today’s letter was led by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA). In addition to the letter, Reps. Conyers, Smith, Nadler, and Cicilline released the following statement: 

“President Trump’s recent Twitter announcement banning military service by transgender individuals is not only bad policy, it is unconstitutional. It defies common sense to deny the military these service members' mission-critical skills.  No American who is willing and able should be denied the honor and responsibilities that come with serving in our Armed Forces solely on the basis of their status as the member of a protected group.

“Unfortunately, President Trump’s proposed ban is yet another troubling sign of his willingness to make impulsive policy decisions while ignoring military leadership. We appreciated the measured response of Secretary Mattis, General Dunford, and other military leaders in response to President Trump’s rash announcement of a proposed discriminatory and unjustified ban on military service by transgender individuals. We would urge President Trump to stop making policy via Twitter and to consult America’s professional military leadership before making decisions that affect the lives and safety of our citizens.”

Thousands of transgender individuals are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces. Trump’s July 26^th Twitter announcement to ban transgender individuals from the military has received much backlash. More than 50 retired senior military officers recently released a statement opposing the ban on the grounds it would degrade military readiness. Trump’s announcement is particularly troubling in light of recent news reports regarding President Trump’s meetings with Secretary of Defense Mattis and other military leaders to discuss the war in Afghanistan, in which he complained that the U.S. is ‘losing’ and insinuated he should ignore strategic advice from high-ranking military officials by likening the war to the renovation of a New York City restaurant. 

Congressional Letter to Secretary Mattis and General Dunford on Trump's Twitter Announcement To Ban in LBGT... by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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U.S. House passes Conyers Amendment to Increase Funding for USO Programs by 50% for Deployed Servicemembers

WASHINGTON— Late yesterday evening, the U.S. House of Representatives considered H.R. 2685, the “Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2015.”  During consideration of the legislation, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) offered an amendment to increase federal funding for the United Service Organizations (USO) by 50 percent, which received unanimous support.

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“On a daily basis, the United Service Organizations (USO) reaches U.S. military members in numerous ways,” said Rep. John Conyers.  “Connecting troops to their families through calling cards and the internet is just part of the USO’s 40-plus program repertoire, but it is incredibly important to our deployed men and women, and to their spouses, parents, siblings, and children.”

Added Conyers, “In an era where our servicemembers are fighting prolonged wars, connecting them to their families and friends back home is a service to our military that we cannot afford to underfund.  In fact, 93% of troops surveyed in 2012 agreed that USO services boost morale, ease separation from friends and family, and convey a feeling of support for the servicemember. […] This amendment will reduce the Operations and Maintenance Defense-wide account by less than one two-thousandth (1/2000), while having an immeasurable impact on the quality of life of our servicemen and women.  It is past time that we direct sufficient funds to the quality of life of the men and women that sacrifice everything to defend our nation.”

In a strong bipartisan show of support, Republican Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), Chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Defense, praised the amendment: “We would like to salute the Dean of the house for his strong support of the USO,” said Rep. Frelinghuysen. “All of us want to thank you for your significant leadership over many years, and for choosing this incredibly wonderful organization to plus up.” 

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Conyers: President Obama’s Strategy Review Good First Step in Modernizing Defense Posture; Additional Spending Cuts Needed to Properly Balance Our Domestic and National Security Needs

Conyers: President Obama’s Strategy Review Good First Step in Modernizing Defense Posture; Additional Spending Cuts Needed to Properly Balance Our Domestic and National Security Needs

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For Immediate Release
Date: Thursday, January 5, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers: President Obama’s Strategy Review Good First Step in Modernizing Defense Posture; Additional Spending Cuts Needed to Properly Balance Our Domestic and National Security Needs  

(WASHINGTON) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement applauding the Department of Defense’s strategic review announced today by President Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey. 

“The Strategic Review announced by President Obama, Secretary Panetta, and General Dempsey today at the Pentagon will go a long way towards rebalancing our domestic and national security needs by establishing a force structure that can best address the changing threats our country will face in the 21^st Century,” said Conyers.  “While I strongly endorse this smart refocusing of our funding priorities, I believe we can and must do more to bring our defense spending back to historic peacetime levels.  For example, the current framework envisions only an 8 percent force builddown, which is far less than the builddown which occurred during the 1980s under President Reagan.”

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Conyers Encourages Service Members To Submit Claims For Stop Loss Paymentsl

October 21^st Deadline Fast Approaching

(DETROIT) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) urged service members and veterans to apply for retroactive stop loss benefits they have earned before the October 21^st, 2011 deadline.  

Service members, veterans and beneficiaries of service members who were involuntarily extended under stop loss between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2009 are eligible for retroactive stop loss special pay of $500 for every month or partial month served in stop loss status.

“As a veteran, I understand the large sacrifice made by our men and women in uniform,” said Conyers.  “Our country is indebted to them for their service.  It is critically important that they receive the full benefits they have earned.”

For more information about eligibility and applications, please visit: http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2010/0710_stoploss/