Liz Saville Roberts: “I regret that I am compelled to speak on this subject. The topic of the day is the confirmation of Ambassador John…”

“I regret that I am compelled to speak on this subject. The topic of the day is the confirmation of Ambassador John Negroponte to be the new National Director of Intelligence, but it appears as if that topic has now changed, and I have no alternative but to respond in that basically the purpose and the responsibilities of the Intelligence Committee have been challenged by the vice chairman. I understand that the vice chairman feels strongly about this issue. We have discussed this at length--not as much as I had hoped and that we had intended to--to seek common ground, but he feels so strongly that he offered an amendment to the supplemental appropriations bill, which he has discussed. I feel equally as strong, so much so that I filed a second-degree amendment in response. My second-degree amendment is in stark contrast to the amendment offered by my colleague and my friend. My amendment actually expresses support for our Armed Forces and intelligence officers, rather than calling into question their actions, while they are on the front lines in the war on terror. The amendment underscored the Intelligence Committee's continuing aggressive oversight of all aspects of the war on terror, including terrorist detention and interrogation. The Rockefeller amendment is a sense of the Senate, as he indicated, calling for the Intelligence Committee to launch yet another formal investigation of the men and women who are prosecuting the war against the terrorists.…”