Wicker Supports Bill to Increase Intelligence Capabilities

REPORT FROM CONGRESS
By Congressman Roger F. Wicker

WICKER SUPPORTS BILL TO INCREASE INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES

The U. S. House of Representatives took yet another step to enhance national security last week with passage of legislation to strengthen our intelligence-gathering capabilities. This bill places emphasis on improving human intelligence assets around the world and fighting foreign espionage and terrorism here at home.

Americans are safer today because of the dramatic steps President Bush and the Congress have undertaken since 9-11-01. Enactment of the USA Patriot Act gives authorities more investigative and enforcement tools to thwart terrorism activities in the U.S. The Real ID Act, which requires individuals to show proof of legal residency to obtain driver's licenses, makes it more difficult for terrorists to move freely about the country. These new laws and reforms within the intelligence community have reduced our vulnerability, but much more work lies ahead. Good intelligence information is paramount in the war on terrorism at home and abroad. It is the key to preventing future attacks and disrupting terror networks.

STRONG INTELLIGENCE IS CRITICAL

The words of Andrew McCarthy, prosecutor in the World Trade Center bombing case, illustrate the importance of a strong intelligence network. He said, "This is about penetrating the communications of the enemy in a war where intelligence is more important than in any war we have ever had. We can't conquer their territory. We can't blockade them. Our only effective offense is to gather information to try to find out what they will hit next and try to prevent that."

While many of the provisions in the intelligence budget remain classified, it contains an increase over the current spending level. Among its priorities is a continuation of our efforts to reverse policy decisions in the 1990s that under-funded critical functions. Most notably among those shortfalls was a 30 percent cut in the number of intelligence operatives around the world. Our government employs the most sophisticated satellite imagery and state-of-the-art electronic spyware, but it is imperative that we improve the intelligence gathered from men and women operating on the ground in potential hot-spots.

Since other countries and terrorist organizations are working to secure information that could threaten national security, more funding is provided in the bill to increase counter-intelligence activities. The measure would also make it easier for our intelligence agencies to work with the military. This cooperation offers the potential of providing real-time data to aid in capturing or killing terrorists who may be plotting attacks against our country.

SURVEILLANCE NECESSARY

I strongly agree with provisions in this bill that support the National Security Agency's Terrorist Surveillance program. The program has proved its worth as a critical tool in the war on terror but is limited in scope to safeguard civil liberties. No one in the U. S. should expect the right to engage in private communications with terrorist groups.

It is no coincidence that our country has not been attacked since 9-11. Our initiatives to protect the homeland and aggressively take the fight to the terrorists have been factors in that success. And while the U.S. can never be 100 percent safe from a future strike, our government is working around the clock on measures to protect the American people. This intelligence authorization bill is another component in that effort.

http://www.house.gov/wicker/IntelligenceColumn.htm