Jane Harman: “I am very disappointed about the way it was handled. I personally think the gentleman from Michigan is correct, and I…”

“I am very disappointed about the way it was handled. I personally think the gentleman from Michigan is correct, and I applaud what he is doing. As we debate this bill, we must thank again the thousands of patriotic and courageous women and men who are serving in our intelligence community around the world. Our Nation also remembers and honors those who lost their lives, most recently at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Afghanistan. I applaud the underlying bill's provisions to reform the way Congress is notified of sensitive covert programs, briefings that for too long were limited to the so-called 'Gang of Eight.' During my years as ranking member, it was clear that effective oversight required providing the entire committee with information previously limited to its leadership. And so this bill rightly provides for full committee notice of Gang of Eight briefings, a contemporaneous record of those briefings, something we sorely lacked, and it entitles the full committee to receive the same briefings as the Gang of Eight within 180 days.”