Response to Congressional Letter to President Obama has been received – Responding on behalf of President Obama, Michael A. Sheehan, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict” and Robert A. Blecksmith, Assistant Director, FBI Critical Incident Response Group replied to the letter from 92 Members of Congress to President Obama that called for for a unified U.S. strategy and international action against Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) as well as steps to support veterans who were victims of IEDs. The undated letter on plain paper failed to address the majority of the issues covered in the Member’s Letter including: designation of a Lead Federal Agency to develop a U.S. Government strategy that coordinates and shares IED event data and other information with the Global Campaign against IEDs; introduction of a United Nations resolution condemning the use of IEDs and calling for international cooperation in prosecuting IED users under international rule of law; and a U.S. Government strategy partnered with Veterans Service Organizations, Military Service Organizations, and other public-private partners to identify the long term physical and psycho-social effects of IED related injuries.
Sheehan-Blecksmith Letter (pdf)
The House Letter to President Obama (pdf)
More information about the House of Representatives Letter to President Obama.