Defense

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) is asking the U.S. Inspector General to look into the Pentagon's program of having generals defend Bush administration foreign policy on talk shows, which was first reported by the New York Times.

"This extensive propaganda program should have been revealed, not by a newspaper, but long-ago by the DoD Office of the Inspector General, which is responsible for eliminating waste, fraud and abuse at the department, as well as promoting integrity and serving the public interest," wrote DeLauro in a letter to the Inspector General. "Now that the program has been halted, we must take the next steps to determine how high-ranking officials within the Pentagon were allowed to operate a program aimed at deceiving the American people."

DeLauro was joined by 40 other House Democrats in her letter, Think Progress reports. In the Senate, Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) has asked the General Accountability Office to determine whether the Pentagon's program was illegal.

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) posted this video to his congressional site today, attacking a proposed loophole that would exempt contractors from waste, fraud, and abuse oversight on jobs done overseas. Welch has introduced legislation to prevent the loophole.

Gen. David Petraeus used charts during his Senate testimony to make his case against a timetable for withdrawing troops.

Download the charts here

The House Oversight Committee announced today it will hold a hearing April 22 to "examine the broad trends, incentives, and challenges present in the Defense Department