Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I am very pleased to rise today in support of the Senate's passage of the Intelligence Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2012. I understand that the House of Representatives intends to consider this legislation on the suspension calendar later this week, so it should be enacted prior to the end of this session. This will be the third time in less than 15 months that the Congress will enact an intelligence authorization bill--including bills for fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012--after a 6 year hiatus in passing such legislation. What this means is that Congress, through the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, is restoring oversight over the intelligence community and fulfilling our responsibility to thoroughly examine intelligence policies and budgets. Unlike the last two authorization bills, this bill was completed contemporaneously with, instead of after, the appropriations process that funds intelligence efforts. The classified annex to this legislation authorizes appropriations for intelligence activities and has helped guide the work of the appropriations committees as they considered intelligence spending. The days when the intelligence community can bypass the intelligence committees and deal solely with the appropriations committees are over.…”