Ophélie Spanneut contributed to this article
The United States Congress has had more than two centuries to hone its investigative skills, having launched its first inquiry in 1791 against President George Washington over a botched battle against the American Indians. “Investigations are an essential power for Congress and our courts have consistently upheld this,” says Donald Wolfensberger, scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center and Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, who has three decades of hands-on experience of congressional oversight. Congress…
Committees of inquiry
Made possible by the Maastricht Treaty, three committees of inquiry have been put in place by the European Parliament:
- 2007: on the Equitable Life insurance crisis
- 1997: on mad cow disease
- 1997: on VAT and customs duties fraud in EU transit rules.
These committees examined allegations of infringement of EU law or maladministration in the application of EU law. After a year's work (or up to 18 months if extended), the committee of inquiry concludes its investigation with a report put to the vote in plenary.
Congressional investigations
- 1791: First ever congressional investigation, focused on a battle the US military lost to American Indians. President George Washington refuses to hand over documents, setting the “executive privilege” precedent
- 1912: Sinking of Titanic investigated by Senate Commerce Committee, leading to passage of the Radio Act requiring all ships to maintain constant radio alert for distress signals
- 1929: Wall Street stock market crash leads Senate Banking Committee to hold investigations culminating in much tighter regulation of financial services sector
- 1957: Supreme Court limits Congress' right to question citizens about their political views in a case brought by labour union leader John Watkins in response to the anti-Communist witch-hunts
- 1974: President Richard Nixon resigns after extensive congressional probes into the wire-tapping of the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate building
- 1988: 120,000 Japanese-American civilians interned by the US during World War Two are financially compensated, eight years after Congress launches investigation into the episode.
- 1791: First ever congressional investigation, focused on a battle the US military lost to American Indians. President George Washington refuses to hand over documents, setting the “executive privilege” precedent
- 1912: Sinking of Titanic investigated by Senate Commerce Committee, leading to passage of the Radio Act requiring all ships to maintain constant radio alert for distress signals
- 1929: Wall Street stock market crash leads Senate Banking Committee to hold investigations culminating in much tighter regulation of financial services sector
- 1957: Supreme Court limits Congress' right to question citizens about their political views in a case brought by labour union leader John Watkins in response to the anti-Communist witch-hunts
- 1974: President Richard Nixon resigns after extensive congressional probes into the wire-tapping of the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate building
- 1988: 120,000 Japanese-American civilians interned by the US during World War Two are financially compensated, eight years after Congress launches investigation into the episode.