One day after the 9/11 Commission released its report, leaders of the Senate tasked the Governmental Affairs Committee, which I chair, with drafting this important legislation. The result is the overwhelming approval last week of the bipartisan Collins-Lieberman "Intelligence Reform Act of 2004", which I authored with Senator Joe Lieberman, the Ranking Member on my committee. This bill represents the most historic reforms to the nation's intelligence agencies in more than half a century. It transforms an intelligence community designed to fight the Cold War into one designed to respond to global terrorism and future national security threats.
In drafting this complex legislation we relied heavily on the 9/11 Commission Report, using its principles as our blueprint.
Before bringing the bill before the full Senate, the Governmental Affairs Committee held a series of eight hearings where we heard from over two-dozen expert witnesses, including Secretary of State Powell, Homeland Security Secretary Ridge, FBI Director Mueller, CIA Director McLaughlin, the 9/11 Commission Chairmen Kean and Hamilton, Commissioners Fielding and Gorelick, intelligence experts, field operatives, professors, and representatives of the 9/11 families. They all provided input that was imperative to help us draft our legislation.
The Collins-Lieberman bill builds upon the rock-solid foundation laid by the 9/11 Commission, and the investigation it conducted over 20 months, including 19 days of hearings with 160 witnesses, the review of 2.5 million documents, and interviews of more than 1,200 individuals in 10 countries. The need for reform in our intelligence system was not suddenly revealed in hearings spurred by the catastrophic failure on September 11, 2001. The failures that led to that tragic day are numerous and reach back many years. The call for reform has been made numerous times over the past fifty years and it is imperative that these reforms are made as soon as possible.
In crafting a structure designed for today and for the future, this legislation builds on the strengths of our current system, recognizes the progress that has been made since 9/11, and charts a new course to strengthen our intelligence community. We understand that the 15 agencies that comprise the intelligence community provide a range of unique experience, expertise and viewpoints that must be preserved. We realize that the barriers to information sharing, cooperation, and coordination – what the Commission calls "stovepipes" – must be demolished. Collins-Lieberman creates an intelligence structure with the agility that our times and the threats demand, not another layer of bureaucracy.
The widespread backing of this legislation demonstrates overwhelming support for real and comprehensive reform of our nation's intelligence community in order to fight terrorism. Our legislation gained tremendous support from a number of parties including many families of victims of the 9/11 attacks, the 9/11 Commission, and the White House. Prior to approval by the U.S. Senate, it unanimously passed the Governmental Affairs Committee.
The reform begins with the creation of the position of National Intelligence Director (NID), one of the major recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. The NID will oversee our intelligence community and be the principal adviser to the President. He or she will have the budget and personnel authority to truly be in charge of our intelligence community and to marshal the people, funding, and other resources needed to counter urgent threats. This unified structure makes it clear that one person, the new NID, is in charge and accountable for the nation''s intelligence operations. Our legislation also establishes a National Counterterrorism Center, which is another major recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. This Center will ensure that the various intelligence agencies currently scattered across the Federal Government, will now work side by side, sharing and analyzing critical information.
This legislation addresses the homeland security needs of small and rural states like Maine, as well as states with major metropolitan centers by redefining the federal homeland security funding formula to ensure that all states receive a fair share of funding for first responders. Maine should not receive far fewer homeland security dollars simply because our population is lower than that of other states. Every state has vulnerabilities and each should be ensured homeland security funding to assure preparedness, which is why this legislation establishes a baseline level of funding that every state will receive to help prepare for, prevent, and react to terrorist attacks.
This measure was adopted from a bill that I authored and was approved by the Governmental Affairs Committee last spring. It more than doubles the amount allocated to states that are considered high-risk for terrorist attacks. Maine would be eligible for risk-based funding, since we are faced with protecting 3,500 miles of coastline, major shipping ports, international airports, and a remote border with Canada. In addition, this legislation streamlines the homeland security grant process in order to deliver that federal money to local first responders more efficiently and expeditiously. Further, it increases first responders' and local officials' input into how funding is spent, makes it easier to apply for federal grants, promotes flexibility in the use of homeland security funding, and protects programs that work, such as the FIRE Act.
An important component of Collins-Lieberman creates a Civil Liberties Board to ensure that privacy and civil liberties concerns are protected as the President and executive agencies propose and implement policies related to efforts to protect the Nation against terrorism. The board will also conduct investigations and oversight of the government's implementation of those policies.
Further, this legislation requires the NID to provide intelligence that is independent of political considerations and it establishes an information-sharing network to break down the stovepipes that currently impede the flow of information between agencies and state and local entities.
This historic effort is a victory for intelligence reform and is the result of hard work in a bipartisan manner. Our goal is to deliver a bill to the President's desk before the end of the year that will make Americans safer while preserving the freedoms and liberties we cherish. I am confident that this goal will be met.
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