Come on Amy!
MORE FEELING!

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Second public hearing of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
Statement of Jane Harman to the
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
May 22, 2003

Introduction

Mr. Chairman, Vice Chairman Hamilton, and Commissioners - I am very pleased to join you today on matters of Congressional oversight of intelligence and homeland security.

What Effective Intelligence Oversight Is and Is Not

Having served for several terms on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and on a national commission - the National Commission on Terrorism, chaired by Ambassador L. Paul Bremer - I have a few comments on what effective Congressional oversight is and what it is not.

Some specific comments on the Joint Inquiry:

You'll recall that the very idea of an inquiry into 9/11 was controversial.

The Administration was opposed to it on the grounds that the ongoing war on terrorism should take precedence. We felt that it was critical to take a hard, objective look at why the Intelligence Community did not detect or thwart the attacks.

We worked hard to make the Inquiry as non-disruptive to ongoing intelligence activities as possible. The purpose was to look backwards to look forwards - something that we couldn't delay in the ongoing and indefinite war on terror.

The Inquiry itself was an unprecedented example of bipartisanship and bicameral cooperation. Eleanor Hill did a masterful job of reporting the facts to the Committees and to the public, and her staff statements became the centerpieces of the Inquiry's public and closed-door hearings.

The Inquiry had all the right ingredients - it was balanced, it was aggressive, and, ultimately, it was constructive. It is now critical that the Administration make the final report public.

A public report should be available now. The inquiry was not just an academic exercise to edify the Intelligence Community. It was paid for by the American people. It was done for their benefit. We have secured an agreement that the CIA will convene a top-level meeting at the end of May to complete the declassification process, but as much of the report as possible should be released to the public - today.

http://www.9-11commission.gov/hearings/hearing2/witness_harman.htm