Press Releases
Currently showing results in 2015 where the type is news_article
Caution Urged on Terrorism as Motive (New York Times)
Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, cautioned after receiving a briefing from the F.B.I. that it was still too soon to say that terrorism motivated the shootings. "I don't think we know enough yet to conclude they were radicalized or there was a terrorism motive," Mr. Schiff said in a telephone interview. "It's possible that's where we could end up, or it's a well-planned-out act of workplace violence. Or a mix of the … Continue Reading
December 02, 2015
Top Dem: 'Time is not on our side’ with ISIS (The Hill)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that the Obama administration is running out of time for defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). "Frankly, I think we're going to ultimately see that more is going to have to be done," he said on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports." "You need a lot of special operators to maintain a certain tempo, to be able to not only capture or kill the targets, but also exploit intelligence and then use that exploited intelligence to do another … Continue Reading
December 01, 2015
Will Congress Finally Declare War on ISIS? (The Atlantic)
When Senator Lindsey Graham introduces a new authorization for the use of military force against the Islamic State, as he's expected to do shortly, it'll be a high-profile reminder to Republican voters that he'd like to be the most hawkish candidate in the 2016 primary field. What it won't be is a groundbreaking move to empower President Obama to take down the terrorist group, even after November's attacks in Paris raised the stakes. That's not just because Graham's AUMF will be more … Continue Reading
December 01, 2015
House passes intelligence bill with policy guidelines (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The House has passed a bill authorizing a 7 percent spending increase for intelligence agencies and presses President Barack Obama to produce a strategy to defeat the Islamic State. The bill, passed Tuesday by a vote of 364 to 58, must be reconciled with a similar measure pending in the Senate. The bill authorizes spending at a level that is 7 percent higher than the current year's budget, according to a House fact sheet. Most of the measure is classified. The … Continue Reading
November 26, 2015
Caring for Our Nation’s Veterans (Crescenta Valley Weekly)
Earlier this month, we took time to pause and thank our nation's veterans for their service and the brave sacrifices they have made for this country. At the same time, we reflected on how much remains to be done to support our service members when they leave the Armed Forces. And when it comes to the continuing health care needs of our veterans, it is plain we have far to go to ensure that they get the care they need and deserve. In 2014, the nation was appalled to discover that a Phoenix … Continue Reading
November 25, 2015
Obama Seeks to Reassure Skeptical Public on ISIS Fight (New York Times)
WASHINGTON - After meeting with his national security team, President Obama headed from the Situation Room upstairs to a bank of waiting cameras to reassure the nation on Wednesday that it had nothing to fear as it headed into the Thanksgiving weekend. But there was a subtext to his televised statement as well. He wanted the country to know that he does, in fact, feel its anxiety in the wake of theattacks in Paris and that he does, in fact, have a plan for defeating the terrorists of the … Continue Reading
November 24, 2015
'The Long War' Is Being Waged in the Passive Voice: Eli Lake (Bloomberg Government)
After the terror in Paris, most Democrats and Republicans agree that America should end the Islamic State. Even the socialist Democrat, Bernie Sanders, has called on America to lead a coalition to rid the world of this caliphate. So one might think Congress would get around to actually declaring war against the proto-state that has terrorized France and Lebanon in the last month. So far, this hasn't happened. After President Barack Obama offered Congress in February a limited war resolution … Continue Reading
November 23, 2015
No easy or simple solutions for encryption (Washington Examiner)
The fever-pitched debate over "encryption" that erupted in the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks may subside just as quickly, as lawmakers and other policymakers grapple with the difficult realities of trying to craft rules in this space. In a nutshell, technology companies and privacy advocates say any U.S. requirement that encrypted products - like smartphones - contain a "back door" allowing access in some circumstances will be exploited by other countries such as China, by cyber … Continue Reading
November 21, 2015
Pentagon Expands Inquiry Into Intelligence on ISIS Surge (New York Times)
WASHINGTON - When Islamic State fighters overran a string of Iraqi cities last year, analysts at United States Central Command wrote classified assessments for military intelligence officials and policy makers that documented the humiliating retreat of the Iraqi Army. But before the assessments were final, former intelligence officials said, the analysts' superiors made significant changes. In the revised documents, the Iraqi Army had not retreated at all. The soldiers had simply … Continue Reading
November 19, 2015
Obama’s Dem Allies Revolt Over Syria (Daily Beast)
Following the Paris terrorist attacks and a renewed sense of urgency to combat the threat, President Barack Obama is facing a national security revolt from within his own Democratic ranks. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, became the most visible component of this trend Thursday, delivering a foreign policy speech in New York City that was notable for how much more hawkish her policy proposals were than the administration she served. "It is time to begin a new phase and intensify and … Continue Reading
November 18, 2015
Top Democrat breaks with Obama on Islamic State (Yahoo News)
Breaking with President Obama, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee called Wednesday for creating a "safe zone" inside Syria as part of an escalated campaign to thwart potential Islamic State attacks on the United States. "We see ISIS branching out in places around the world, and it is a growing menace," Rep. Adam Schiff of California told Yahoo News in an interview broadcast on Sirius XM, using another name for the terrorist army. "Until we successfully evaporate that … Continue Reading
November 17, 2015
In the aftermath of Paris, how will California move forward with refugees? (KPCC Take Two)
In the aftermath of the Paris attacks some U.S. governors are threatening to block efforts to relocate Syrian refugees in their states. Gov. Jerry Brown says that California will follow President Barack Obama's lead and will remain committed to accepting Syrian refugees while ensuring a thorough and secure vetting process for these refugees. Representative and Intelligence Committee ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called in to Take Two to further explain California's stance when … Continue Reading
November 17, 2015
U.S. lawmaker says Paris attacks highlight encryption concerns (Reuters)
Nov 17 U.S. lawmakers said on Tuesday it was likely that new, difficult to break "end-to-end" encryption technologies were used by individuals in Belgium, France and Syria involved in the Paris attacks last week. "We can't tell you today specifically that they were using a specific encrypted platform. We think that's a likely communication tool because we didn't pick up any direct communication (before the attacks)," said Republican Senator Richard Burr, chairman of the Senate Intelligence … Continue Reading
November 17, 2015
Top Dem: 'Our airport defenses are inadequate’ (The Hill)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Tuesday the nation's airports remain vulnerable to violence following last week's terrorist attacks in Paris. "If there was one vulnerability I would say we ought to focus on, it ought to be the airports," he said on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports." "I still believe that our airport defenses are inadequate," Schiff continued. "It still distresses me greatly that when we test the TSA, they largely fail those tests. "In the immediate aftermath of … Continue Reading
November 17, 2015
Call to Arms in France Amid Hunt for Belgian Suspect in Paris Attacks (New York Times)
PARIS - President François Hollande of Francecalled on Monday for constitutional amendments to fight potential terrorists at home and for an aggressive effort to "eradicate" the Islamic State abroad. His call to arms - "France is at war," he said at the opening of his remarks to a joint session of Parliament - came as security forces in France and Belgium zeroed in on a suspect they said was the architect of the assault that killed 129 people Friday night in Paris. The suspect, a … Continue Reading
November 17, 2015
House Republicans push for ‘pause’ to Syrian refugee program (Washington Post)
With Republican presidential candidates and GOP governors sounding an increasingly strident alarm about the program to admit Syrian refugees into the country, House Speaker Paul Ryan today announced that he would seek a "pause" in the program. However, the House GOP leadership is ruling out any kind of changes to the program that would prohibit the entry of Muslim Syrian refugees in particular, which is something that Senator Ted Cruz has pushed for. "There will be no religious test, … Continue Reading
November 16, 2015
Paris Attacks Renew U.S. Call to Access Encrypted Communications (Bloomberg)
(Bloomberg) -- The bloodshed in Paris led U.S. officials Monday to renew calls for limits on technology that prevents governments from spying on phone conversations, text messages and e-mails. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the California Democrat, said she's asked Silicon Valley companies to help law enforcement and intelligence agencies access communications that have been encrypted -- or scrambled to evade surveillance -- if terrorists are using the tools to plan attacks. "I have asked for … Continue Reading
November 16, 2015
Republican lawmakers looking for ways to shut out Syrian refugees after Paris attacks (Washington Post)
The Paris terror attacks have inspired a backlash against Syrian refugees in Congress, with several Republican lawmakers seeking to enforce a moratorium on entrance to the United States by whatever means necessary. "I call on you to temporarily suspend the admission of all additional Syrian refugees into the United States pending a full review of the Syrian refugee resettlement program," House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) wrote in a letter to President Obama … Continue Reading
November 16, 2015
Paris attacks 'likely directed and equipped' from Syria: US lawmaker (Agence France Press)
The attacks in Paris were likely directed and equipped from Syria, a US lawmaker said Sunday, warning it was a consequence of allowing Islamic State a sanctuary "with too much time to plan and plot." "And unless that changes strategically, we can expect more attacks like this," said Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. His comments on ABC's "This Week" come amid growing questions about a US-led strategy that has relied on air strikes to try to roll back IS … Continue Reading
November 16, 2015
Obama under pressure to intensify fight against Islamic State after Paris attacks (Los Angeles Times)
The deadly Paris attacks are putting pressure on President Obama to confront Islamic State militants more aggressively than he has been willing to consider in the past, opening a difficult deliberation for a leader who has tried to build a legacy on ending America's wars, not extending them. On Sunday, Obama pledged to "redouble our efforts" to fight international terrorism after the brutal bombings and shootings that killed at least 129 people in the French capital. Obama mentioned … Continue Reading