Summary
For more than 200 years, Congress has conducted numerous high-level investigations that have riveted the nation, inspired landmark legislation, and transformed American history. These investigations have focused on a wide array of subjects and issues, covering some of the most significant events in our nation's past, including John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859, the impeachment of Andrew Johnson in 1868, the Teapot Dome scandal in 1924, the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954, the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, and the attacks on September 11, 2001. These events have been turning points in American history, and they are vital to our understanding of the U.S. government and political system.
Since the publication of the first edition of Congress Investigates: A Documented History more than 35 years ago, Congress has conducted additional investigations of critical historical importance. In addition to new, in-depth articles on these recent investigations, every original article, written by distinguished historians, has been updated and includes illustrations, detailed chronologies, and brief overviews of each investigation. The authors have also added an introduction to every original document in the set, highlighting its significance and historical importance. Loaded with outstanding articles and special features, Congress Investigates: A Critical and Documentary History, Revised Edition is a definitive, comprehensive, and up-to-date reference on this fascinating subject.
Thoroughly revised, updated, and new congressional investigations include:
- Army-McCarthy Hearings, 1954
- Labor Racketeering Investigation, 1957–61
- Watergate Committee, 1973–74
- Church Committee Investigation of the CIA, 1975–76
- Iran-Contra Hearings, 1987
- INSLAW Department of Justice Scandal, 1989–91
- Clinton, Whitewater, and Impeachment Hearings, 1992–98
- 9/11 Investigation, 2002–04
- Hurricane Katrina Inquiry, 2005–06.