BuzzFlash Reader Commentary
September 17, 2002 | Last Update: September 24, 2002
Does Your Senator Support An Independent Investigation Into The 9-11 Attacks?
by RA from LA
Dear BuzzFlash Readers,
Here is the evolving list of U.S. Senators and their responses to the question: Does the Senator support an independent investigation into the 9/11 attacks?
The families of the 9/11 victim have been left twisting in the wind, denied anything close to the full truth they need in order to begin the process of closure. In late July, they received a glimmer of hope: By a vote of 219 to 188, the Republican House approved a measure to create an independent blue-ribbon panel to investigate the events surrounding the 9/11 attacks. It was to include two representatives from the victim's families. But a similar proposal seems to be stalled in the Democratic Senate, although there are signs that public demands for such a commission are growing. What is really needed is a wide-ranging investigation into what happened, not just a narrow look at intelligence failures.
You can help fill in the blanks by calling your state's Senators office and pinning them down with a yes or no answer.
RA from LA
* * *
Alabama
Sessions,
Jeff (R)
Shelby, Richard (R) - YES (9/17/02)
Alaska
Murkowski,
Frank (R)
Stevens, Ted (R)
Arizona
Kyl,
Jon (R)
McCain, John (R) - YES co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/17/02)
Arkansas
Hutchinson,
Tim (R)
Lincoln, Blanche (D) - YES co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/17/02)
California
Boxer, Barbara (D) - YES co-sponsor of S.1867 (9/18/02)
Boxer's staff sent me the following e-mail today saying that she too is a co-sponsor of Senate bill s.1867 to form an independent commission to investigate 9/11 (9/18/02). Haven't heard back from her office yet (9/17/02).
Feinstein, Dianne (D) - NO (9/17/02)
Colorado
Allard,
Wayne (R)
Campbell, Ben Nighthorse (R)
Connecticut
Dodd,
Christopher (D) - YES co-sponsor of
S.1867 (9/24/02)
Lieberman, Joseph (D) - YES (9/17/02)
Delaware
Biden
Jr, Joseph (D)
Carper, Thomas (D)
Florida
Graham,
Bob (D) - YES (9/17/02)
Nelson, Bill (D) - "Senator Nelson supports whatever investigations
are determined to be necessary" (9/19/02)
Georgia
Cleland,
Max (D) - YES
co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/18/02)
Miller, Zell (D) - YES
co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/18/02)
Hawaii
Akaka,
Daniel (D)
Inouye, Daniel (D)
Idaho
Craig,
Larry (R)
Crapo, Mike (R)
Illinois
Durbin,
Richard (D) - YES (9/17/02)
Fitzgerald, Peter (R) - Staff said he had no answer yet (9/17/02).
Indiana
Lugar,
Richard (R)
Bayh, Evan (D) - YES co-sponsor of
S.1867 (9/24/02)
Iowa
Grassley,
Chuck (R) - YES
co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/18/02)
Harkin, Tom (D) - YES co-sponsor of
S.1867 (9/24/02)
Kansas
Brownback,
Sam (R)
Roberts, Pat (R)
Kentucky
McConnell,
Mitch (R)
Bunning, Jim (R)
Louisiana
Breaux,
John (D)
Landrieu, Mary (D)
Maine
Collins,
Susan (R)
Snowe, Olympia (R)
Maryland
Mikulski,
Barbara (D)
Sarbanes, Paul (D)
Massachusetts
Kennedy,
Edward (D)
Kerry, John (D) - YES co-sponsor of
S.1867 (9/24/02)
Michigan
Levin,
Carl (D)
Stabenow, Debbie (D)
Minnesota
Dayton,
Mark (D)
Wellstone, Paul (D)
Mississippi
Cochran,
Thad (R)
Lott, Trent (R)
Missouri
Bond,
Christopher (R)
Carnahan, Jean (D) - YES co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/24/02)
Montana
Baucus,
Max (D)
Burns, Conrad (R)
Nebraska
Hagel,
Charles (R)
Nelson, Ben (D)
Nevada
Reid,
Harry (D)
Ensign, John (R)
New Hampshire
Gregg,
Judd (R)
Smith, Bob (R)
New Jersey
Torricelli,
Robert (D) - YES
co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/18/02)
Corzine, Jon (D) - YES co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/24/02)
New Mexico
Bingaman,
Jeff (D)
Domenici, Pete (R)
New York
Schumer,
Charles (D) - YES co-sponsor of S.1867
(9/24/02)
Clinton, Hillary (D) - YES co-sponsor
of S.1867 (9/24/02)
North Carolina
Helms,
Jesse (R) - No response expected (9/17/02).
Edwards, John (D) - YES
co-sponsor
of S.1867
(9/17/02)
Note from Sen. Edwards office: "Senator Edwards is a cosponsor of S.1867 (Title: A bill to establish the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, and for other purposes." (9/17/02)
RA from LA writes: I looked up the Senate bill on the independent 9/11 commission (S.1867) at www.planesafe.org/legislation/sb1867.pdf. The wording of the purpose seemed fine, but I wasn't too happy to see that the president (i.e., Cheney) would get to select the chair for the commission. (9/18/02)
North Dakota
Dorgan,
Byron (D) - YES
co-sponsor
of S.1867
(9/18/02)
Conrad, Kent (D)
Ohio
DeWine,
Mike (R)
Voinovich, George (R)
Oklahoma
Inhofe,
James (R)
Nickles, Don (R)
Oregon
Smith,
Gordon (R)
Wyden, Ron (D)
Pennsylvania
Santorum,
Rick (R)
Specter, Arlen (R)
Rhode Island
Chafee,
Lincoln (R)
Reed, Jack (D)
South Carolina
Thurmond,
Strom (R)
Hollings, Ernest (D)
South Dakota
Daschle,
Thomas (D) - - YES
(9/20/02)
Johnson, Tim (D)
Tennessee
Frist,
William (R)
Thompson, Fred (R)
Texas
Gramm,
Phil (R)
Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R)
Utah
Bennett,
Robert (R)
Hatch, Orrin (R)
Vermont
Jeffords,
James (I)
Leahy, Patrick (D)
Virginia
Warner,
John (R)
Allen, George (R)
Washington
Murray,
Patty (D)
Cantwell, Maria (D)
West Virginia
Byrd,
Robert (D)
Rockefeller IV, John (D)
Wisconsin
Feingold,
Russell (D) - YES co-sponsor of S.1867
(9/24/02)
Kohl, Herb (D)
Wyoming
Enzi,
Mike (R)
Thomas, Craig (R)
* * *
