Former members of Congress urge bipartisan oversight, cite constitutional duty
Former Sen. Carl Levin and seven other former members of Congress wrote congressional leadership Tuesday urging them to “fully and faithfully” meet their constitutional responsibility in overseeing the executive branch in a bipartisan manner.
Other signatories included former Sens. Richard Lugar (R-IN), Tom Daschle (D-SD), Tom A. Coburn, M.D., (R-OK), William Cohen (R-ME), and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), along with former Reps. Christopher Shays (R-CT), and Mickey Edwards (R-OK). The letter stated:
“The responsibility of Congress to oversee the operations of the Executive Branch does not vary based on the political party of the President or which party controls one or both houses of Congress. The responsibility is a Constitutional one that supersedes political considerations. It is a fundamental obligation designed to safeguard the rights and welfare of the American people.
Experience has also taught us that to the extent such oversight is conducted in a bipartisan manner – with Members from both parties participating and cooperating in the oversight effort, the interviews of individuals, the request for and review of documents, the fact-finding process, the selection of witnesses for a hearing, and the drafting of any report, findings, or recommendations – the better the American people are served.”
The letter was sent to House Speaker Paul Ryan, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. Other recipients included chairs and ranking members of each congressional committee.
To view the complete letter, visit law.wayne. edu/lettertocongress.
Inequality expert to speak Jan. 18 at Wayne Law
Inequality expert and author Chuck Collins will speak at Wayne State University Law School on Wednesday, Jan. 18. He will discuss racial equity, wealth disparities and his most-recent book, Born on Third Base: A One Percenter Makes the Case for Tackling Inequality, Bringing Wealth Home and Committing to the Common Good.
Collins’ presentation will be from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. in the Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium at the law school, 471 W. Palmer St. Lunch will be provided. The event is free, but registration is requested at law.wayne.edu/chuckcollins. Parking is available for $7.50 (credit or debit cards only) in Parking Structure No. 1 across West Palmer Street from Wayne Law. The lecture is sponsored by the law school’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, the Institute for Policy Studies and Class Action.
Collins is a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he directs the Program on Inequality and the Common Good and co-edits Inequality.org. He is co-founder of Wealth for the Common Good, which according to their website, is a network of business leaders, high-income households and partners working together to promote shared prosperity and fair taxation.
For more information about this event, contact Marti Knight at (313) 577-3620 or martha.knight @wayne.edu.
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