February 17, 2006
Reid: The Republican Congress is Failing to Protect the American People
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT
From the office of Sen. Harry Reid:
Washington, DC – Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid released the following statement today on the Senate Select Intelligence Committee’s refusal to open an investigation into the President’s NSA domestic spying program:
“It is extremely disappointing that the Republican Congress has once again failed to exercise its oversight responsibilities. There are too many unanswered questions about the NSA domestic spying program and it is a failure by this Republican Congress to refuse to even ask them. Our nation is strongest when the Congress and the president work together to protect the American people. Simply rubberstamping this president’s domestic spying program in order to protect the Bush Administration is an abdication of our Congressional responsibility that does nothing to strengthen our nation.”
###
Intelligence Oversight in the Senate: A Record of Partisanship and Failure
For the past several years the Republican-controlled Senate Intelligence
Committee has failed to exercise its oversight responsibility. Unfortunately,
today’s decision not to examine the Bush Administration’s domestic
spying program follows a familiar pattern. Republicans have repeatedly
chosen to protect the Bush Administration rather than carry out its
fundamental oversight that can help protect our troops and the Americans
people.
Prisoner Abuse, Detention, Rendition Controversy – No Committee Investigation
Despite numerous troubling reports about detainee abuse as a result
of Bush Administration’s detention, interrogation, and rendition policies
and questions about role of intelligence community, the Republican-controlled
Senate Intelligence Committee has refused to formally investigate these
actions.
Iraq Pre-War Intelligence Controversy – Committee Investigation
Incomplete Nearly Three Years After Start of War
After months of refusing to conduct an investigation of the
Bush Administration’s misuse and potential abuse of pre-war intelligence
related to Iraq, the
Republican majority grudgingly consented to conduct an investigation
when it became apparent it lacked the votes to thwart it. Nearly three
years after the start of the war and more than two years since the committee
unanimously voted to initiate an investigation of these issues, this
committee has yet to complete its work.
Oversight and Implementation of Intelligence Reform – No Meaningful
Committee Action
Throughout the tenure of the current chairman of the Intelligence Committee,
there has been a refusal to undertake a comprehensive, systemic examination
of the intelligence community’s organization and effectiveness – an extraordinarily
abdication of oversight responsibilities in the wake of all of the intelligence
raised by the attacks of 9/11. The committee did not convene intelligence
reform hearings until after the Senate leadership had vested responsibility
for intelligence reform in the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee
and only then held a few “me-too” hearings. As a result, the Senate Intelligence
Committee was rendered irrelevant to the most significant intelligence
community reform effort since the community was formed in 1947.
FY2007 Intelligence Authorization Bill – Failed to Gain Senate
Passage of Bill for First Time in the nearly 30 Year History of Committee
Due to Republican objections, the Senate Intelligence Committee has
failed to pass the Intelligence Authorization bill on the Senate floor
for the first time in nearly 30 years.
Domestic Spying Program – No Committee Investigation
More than two month after the first request for an investigation and
additional bipartisan requests thereafter, the Republican-controlled
Senate Intelligence Committee has not agreed to initiate a thorough
review of the numerous serious intelligence issues raised by the Bush
Administration’s domestic spying program.
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT