Videos

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Jeh Johnson to become secretary of the Homeland Security Department. He told committee membe…

President Obama announced the nomination of Jeh Johnson to be the next Department of Homeland Security secretary. Johnson served as general counsel to the Department of Defense in President …

Jeh Johnson presented arguments for and against the need for a court to oversee the Obama administration’s policy of targeted killings of American terrorist suspects abroad. “A 'Drone Court'…

Panelists talked about the tension between a free press and national security. Among the topics they addressed were National Security Agency (NSA) data collection, prosecuting journalists fo…

Jeh Johnson spoke to Defense Department personnel at the Pentagon’s first celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride month following the repeal of the military’s “Don…

Jeh Johnson discussed the Obama administration’s opposition to part of the defense authorization bill dealing with the detention of terror suspects on the grounds that the provisions would l…

Defense Department officials testified on adding the National Guard bureau chief to the Joint Chiefs Staff.

The Defense Department announced that it is ready to stop enforcing its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on gays in the military. That message goes to President Obama, who will then formally n…

Defense Department officials testified on the Department of Defense Working Group survey of the issues associated with a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy banning gays and lesbian…

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen, and officials tasked with conducting a study on military attitudes toward service by openly gay and lesbian person…

Witnesses testified on the potential repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy barring openly gay and lesbian service members. They focused on the conduct of a year-long study …

Government lawyers spoke about international law and national security policy. Among the topics they addressed were the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, collection and use o…

Jeb Johnson spoke about legal issues related to detainees at Guantanamo Bay prison. Among the issues he addressed were the planned closing of the facility, trying cases of those charged, and…

Obama administration officials urged Congress to move forward with proposed changes to the military commissions system, which the president has said he wants to continue to use to put allege…

The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing on legal issues regarding military commissions and the trial of detainees for violations of the law of war. Obama administration offici…

Witnesses testified on detainee prosecutions. Topics included legal protections needed in both civilian and military courts, international legal frameworks, and trial procedures. The hea…