-Caveat Lector- ACLU Washington Legislative Office November 20, 2004:
Despite indications earlier that a compromise on the intelligence reform legislation had been reached, the Republican House leadership today pulled the bill, making it highly unlikely that it will be concluded during this session of Congress. From a civil liberties standpoint, the bill was far from perfect... The Senate conferees confronted their House counterparts and refused to accept all of the anti-immigration and unnecessary law enforcement powers. Despite a final agreement, the Republican House leadership refused to accept that compromise and instead showed their hand by relentlessly pushing their political agenda... The ACLU looks forward to working with lawmakers and organizations from across the political spectrum to ensure that any intelligence reform bill is consistent with fundamental values of freedom and democracy. We worked with the conservative Cuban American National Foundation, the American Conservative Union, the Free Congress Foundation and the Gun Owners of America to improve this legislation and we look forward to working with them again. [...] We hope that when Congress returns to consideration of this important issue, it takes steps to enact an independent civil liberties board with strong oversight powers, reject steps to lay the foundation for a national ID card, stop unnecessary attacks on immigrants and drop the unwarranted expansion of law enforcement powers. Speaker Hastert via U.S. Newswire 11/20/2004 6:07:00 PM: House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) today made the following remarks regarding the on-going negotiations of the nation's intelligence gathering agencies: [...] Earlier this afternoon, members of the House Republican Conference met to discuss an agreement that was reached by the conferees. Our members made many arguments. "House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter made the most compelling argument. "Duncan was concerned that the proposed reform could endanger our troops in the field who use real-time intelligence to fight the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have asked our conferees to go back to the negotiating table to make absolutely certain whatever we do, we protect our war-fighters. [...] "We will keep working on this. We will not adjourn sine die. We will ask the negotiators to keep working. We will ask the President to get personally involved. And we will get a bill that will reform our intelligence agencies while protecting our war- fighters." Chicago Tribune/Knight-RidderSat, Nov. 20, 2004: Congress failed to pass intelligence reform legislation Saturday because House members insisted that the Pentagon should retain budget authority over its key intelligence-gathering activities. Although Senate and House negotiators announced earlier in the day that a compromise had been reached, House Republicans balked at attempts to give a new national intelligence director control over Pentagon agencies that conduct electronic and satellite eavesdropping. They argued that those activities most benefit the military, and should stay under Pentagon control. [...] Collins and Lieberman said in a joint statement. "We are still convinced that the recommendations of the 9-11 commission are imperative to transform the country's intelligence program." Sen. John Rockefeller, D-W.Va., the ranking member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, declared that "despite the support of the president, the 9-11 commission, and 96 United States senators, a small cabal of House Republicans skillfully killed the most important national security legislation of a generation." House Republican leaders said the bill could be considered again in December, but arranging a full vote in both the House and Senate would be difficult. If there is no action before January, the issue would be left to a new Congress. [...] The Pentagon, which consumes about 80 percent of the estimated $40 billion annual intelligence budget, fought to retain control over the budgets of the National Security Agency, which intercepts electronic signals, the National Reconnaissance Office, which runs spy satellites, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which compiles terrain and mapping information. Controlling an agency's budget is the equivalent of deciding how the agency's employees and technology will be used... Led by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, House Republicans blocked attempts by the Senate to shift the Pentagon budget control to a new national intelligence director... Another leading House opponent of the compromise, Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., wanted additional provisions dealing with illegal immigration. Hunter said Saturday he knew that the president and Hastert wanted this bill, but "what we have to do here is exercise our best judgment." -- www.total411.info www.libertythink.com www.total911.info www.ctrl.org DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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