OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act

Date: Oct. 7, 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security


9/11 RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTATION ACT -- (House of Representatives - October 07, 2004)

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Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time and, indeed, I am on the Committee on Armed Services, and very grateful to be serving on the Committee. At this time, I would like to take the opportunity to speak in strong support of H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act.

Mr. Chairman, the House Committee on Armed Services, under the leadership of our chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), was tasked with the consideration of title I of this measure. We had hearings during the break in August. We had a great deal of input from so many different people. This was an open process, and we achieved, I think, a great deal.

I particularly note we achieved the creation of a National Intelligence Director separate from the director of the CIA. This legislation creates a National Counterterrorism Center within the Office of the National Intelligence Director to integrate all Federal agencies that deal with intelligence services. There are 15 that need to be coordinated.

The Committee on Armed Services considered all the recommendations, and were careful to ensure we were strengthening our national intelligence infrastructure, particularly with respect to the men and women in uniform. The Department of Defense operates the majority of national intelligence capability and uses those assets to support troops engaged in combat in addition to supporting the director of the CIA. It is critical that the Department of Defense maintain the ability to provide the best intelligence directly to our troops on the ground as they wage the war on terrorism.

The Committee on Armed Services, as you heard, 59 to nothing, approved this unanimously in committee. As the father of three sons currently serving in the military, I want to thank again Chairman Hunter for his leadership on behalf of our troops. He has a special insight, in that our chairman is a veteran himself, and his son has just returned from distinguished service with the U.S. Marines in Iraq.

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