FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 3, 2013

MEDIA ADVISORY: Progressive Caucus to Hold Hearing on Drones

Press Contacts

Adam Sarvana (Grijalva) – (202) 225-2435

Jeremy Slevin (Ellison) – (202) 225-4755

Carrie Adams (Lee) – (202)225-2661

Washington, D.C. – Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, including Peace and Security Task Force Chair Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and CPC Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) will hold a hearing on United States drone policy on Wednesday, May 8^th,  at 3:00 p.m. The oversight hearing will focus on lethal drones operations abroad, questions of due process, the implications for executive and congressional war making authority, as well as the precedent being set as other nations rapidly adopt drone technology.

Reps. Lee, Grijalva, and Ellison recently sent a letter to the president asking the administration to explain the legal basis for drone strikes. “It is far past time that the White House openly discuss the drones program,” the authors wrote. “The President has full reign to protect the United States as Commander in Chief, but Congress has a vital oversight role in this issue, and we cannot shy away from those responsibilities.”