Recently, Sen. Patrick Leahy - soon to be Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee - outlined his vision for the next Congress.Today I will outline a new agenda for the Senate Judiciary Committee, an agenda of restoration, repair and renewal: Restoration of constitutional values and the rights of ordinary Americans. Repair of a broken oversight process and the return of accountability. And renewal of the publicGÇÖs right to know.
Leahy stresses the Bush administration's penchant for "unilateralism" - acting alone and shunning the help, advice, or consent of others. Without any checks and balances, you get disastrous decisions like Iraq, torture, and ... well, you've all been around the past six years.
So, Leahy promises to bring back some oversight to the Senate. "The constitutional balance must be restored" because "Congress has a solemn duty to protect the rights of the American people and to perform meaningful oversight to make sure the laws are followed."
To do this, Leahy promises oversight of the FBI and the Justice Department. He promises an investigation over the erosion of privacy. He vows to expose war profiteering. He promises to protect the people's freedom of information and the independence of the judiciary. And, thankfully, he will target the administration's lack of respect for human rights - on this front, there will be a new Subcommittee On Human Rights And The Law.
On the legislative front, he hopes for comprehensive immigration reform next year and an overhaul of our patent system.
Overall, Leahy outlines an ambitious agenda. But, with what's happened this decade, can you blame him?