Government Oversight

Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) last week dropped his support for creating a select committee on last year's attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

Mica added his name to the resolution calling for a select committee in late March. But last Thursday, he asked that his name be removed from that resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.).

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) on Tuesday introduced legislation that would put in place limits on the ability of the government to compel the disclosure of information from the press.

Poe's Free Flow of Information Act is a reaction to news that the Justice Department seized two months of phone records of Associated Press reporters. Justice's decision seemed aimed at furthering its investigation of leaks related to how U.S. agents foiled a terrorist plot.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) vowed that as more details come out on the IRS scandal, he intends to “find out the relevant details.”

Last week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) admitted that officials in Ohio had targeted conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status, with higher scrutiny. Many groups were singled out for having the words "Tea Party" or "patriot" in their name.

Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. said his bill would allow the government to focus on “crash prevention programs, not national helmet mandates.”

Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Reps. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) announced Wednesday that they would introduce a bill to end doping in horse racing and kick cheaters out of the sport.

“The chronic abuse of race horses with painkillers and other drugs is dangerous and just plain wrong," Udall said. "Racing groups have promised drug reform for decades, but this bill would bring in real standards and enforcement from an organization with a proven record for cleaning up sports."

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) told the Department of Interior (DOI) on Tuesday that it should consider “canceling the sheep counting” studies instead of closing national parks to reduce spending.

“Department officials warned national parks around the country would suffer from reduced hours of operation, shorter seasons and the possible closures of campgrounds, hiking trails and other recreational areas,” Coburn wrote in a letter to the newly confirmed Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. “The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is also threatening to shut down hundreds of flood warning gauges across the country.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) renewed his call on Monday for Congress to require disclosure and accountability of the “political intelligence industry.”

“Turns out, some people on Wall Street have figured out a way to read Washington’s mind. Instead of paying a fortune teller, they are hiring so-called political intelligence brokers,” Grassley said. “This new crop of information specialists has figured out how to turn government information into a profit-making venture.”

"The very least an individual on the federal payroll can do is pay their taxes," sponsor Rep. Jason Chaffetz said.

Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced a bill Thursday that aims to combat drug trafficking and organized crime.

The Transnational Drug Trafficking Act increases the ability of the Department of Justice to prosecute those involved in international drug trafficking.

“I know that we cannot sit idly by as drug traffickers find new ways to circumvent our laws,” Feinstein said. “We must provide the Department of Justice with all of the tools it needs to prosecute drug kingpins both here at home and abroad.”

Republicans have criticized Beyonce and Jay-Z for the trip to Cuba.