So my final comment is to urge you to take a far harder line on the information-sharing agreements, and if countries are not willing to abide by that and share information with us, then we should kick them out of the Visa Waiver Program.

In the aftermath of the Abdulmutallab case, there was some confusion over which agency considered itself ultimately responsible for revoking of a visa on terrorism grounds.

Well, it seems to me that everybody in TIDE ought to be identified and then brought in for an interview and a determination made.

Clearly, there needs to be one in Yemen.

I think that it is unacceptable that fewer than half of the 36 countries currently participating in the Visa Security Program are now sharing all the information on dangerous individuals that is supposedly required to take advantage of…

From my perspective, the State Department had sufficient information to revoke Abdulmutallab's visa.

Do you believe that the Department has the authority to establish a visa policy that would require the suspension of all visas held by the individuals in the TIDE database pending further investigation?

the intelligence community is resistant to change, but change is precisely what the Intelligence Reform Act directed the DNI to achieve

But my question is not the desirability of the policy. It is trying to establish authority.

the idea that there is resistance on this is really troubling to me.

I was shocked to learn from the GAO that 1,150 people on the terrorist watchlist as of Christmas Day had valid U.S. visas.

the DNI was established to be, in Secretary Powell's memorable words, the 'quarterback' of the intelligence community

What worries me about that approach is it seems to me to not really be risk-based and to encourage terrorists to travel through other countries or use citizens of countries that are not on the 14-country list.

It seems to me you would want to just build it into the system so that it is not a choice.

I would like to ask you, Mr. Healy, and you, Mr. Travers, I know you are looking at that standard, but in your judgment, is that standard too high for listing someone.

traveling to our country is not a right, it is a privilege

the problem is only going to get worse when we have to share with other folks.

I guess what I am troubled by is it is still discretionary in a way.