Carper Statement on Intelligence Reform Legislation

WASHINGTON (Dec. 8, 2004) – Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., released the following statement on an intelligence reform bill that the Senate was expected to pass today. The House passed the legislation yesterday, and President Bush is expected to sign the bill, possibly by the end of the week. The first restructuring of America’s intelligence network since the start of the Cold War, the legislation would create a new Director of National Intelligence, who would control the budgets of our nation’s spy agencies and facilitate information-sharing within the federal government to better prevent terrorist attacks. The bill has been endorsed by the bipartisan 9-11 Commission, which this summer recommended a series of intelligence reforms. Today’s legislation mirrors many of those recommendations. The following is a statement from Sen. Carper: “This bill represents a giant step forward in making sure America is better prepared to fight the war on terrorism. We’ve not restructured our intelligence agencies since the start of the Cold War – more than 50 years ago. The world was a different place then, and new challenges confront us today. By centralizing control over America’s vast intelligence network and ensuring better coordination among the federal agencies involved in the war on terrorism, this bill will bring a much-needed sense of accountability to our intelligence system. It will ensure that the president, the military, Congress and our local law enforcement officers are receiving the best intelligence available to keep Americans safer and more secure here at home. I commend the good work of the bipartisan 9-11 Commission, which helped Congress reach this agreement, and the 9-11 families, whose persistence made sure we got this bill done today.”