More from @SenWhitehouse

Sheldon Whitehouse

@SenWhitehouse

20 Aug

I checked. I made seven trips to Afghanistan, the first when the accommodations for us were modified shipping containers. Others were there a lot more, and gave much more; some gave all.

As we look back, I see the fatal day as when we dropped the ball in Afghanistan to pivot to the misbegotten Bush war in Iraq.

We had popularity, momentum and success in Afghanistan then, and if we had set wise parameters for stepping back, the outcome could have been different. We would not have left a little America behind, but that should never have been our goal there.

Read 6 tweets

Sheldon Whitehouse

@SenWhitehouse

19 Aug

“Slowly” is the operative word here. This may prove to be a case study.
washingtonpost.com/politics/biden…

We need to consider the downside of “interagency process” operating at the speed of bureaucracy, not speed of reality. We need to consider when “whole of government” becomes “hole of government” and process consumes initiative.

We need to consider what process has done to leadership and accountability — when everyone has a piece of the decision accountability evaporates. This is a problem across government right now, not limited to this debacle or to these agencies.

Read 4 tweets

Sheldon Whitehouse

@SenWhitehouse

10 Aug

The bipartisan infrastructure deal will create millions of jobs, protect wages & worker conditions & invest in American manufacturing. Pair this with an even bolder reconciliation package & you have a historic deal. But… what exactly is in the bill?

The bipartisan infrastructure bill will deliver for Rhode Islanders. I helped craft the section that will send Rhode Island federal funding to repair highways, roads, and bridges. The bill also sends our state much-needed funding for broadband internet.

On climate/oceans, all eyes are on reconciliation, but this bill does have some wins. A few priorities of mine that will receive funding:

1⃣ My National Oceans & Coastal Security Fund
2⃣ Transportation infrastructure resiliency
3⃣ Grant program established by my SOS 2.0 bill

Read 5 tweets

Sheldon Whitehouse

@SenWhitehouse

9 Aug

@axios

.@axios has a good summary of IPCC climate report. This is bad. Bad. Enough bulls**t from fossil fuel industry, pretending it supports action while hiding its obstruction funding. Start by telling the truth about your political dirty work.
axios.com/un-climate-rep…

Enough bulls**t from Republicans hip deep in fossil fuel money, whose home state universities warn about this, but who will blockade anything serious.

Enough bulls**t from corporate America, spouting greenwash while refusing to switch on its immensely powerful political apparatus to do anything on climate. Not ONE major trade association is activated.

Read 5 tweets

Sheldon Whitehouse

@SenWhitehouse

22 Jul

This long-delayed answer confirms how badly we were spun by Director Wray and the FBI in the Kavanaugh background investigation and hearing.
whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/a…

It confirms my suspicions that the “tip line” was not real and that FBI tip line procedures were not followed. There are FBI tip line procedures. They were not followed.

So when Wray said they followed procedures, he meant the “procedure” of doing whatever Trump White House Counsel told them to do. That’s misleading as hell.

Read 6 tweets