On the recordNovember 30, 2011
I ask unanimous consent for an additional 4 minutes. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Very briefly, the great concern we have now in terms of the security of the homeland is from so-called homegrown terrorists, radicalized Americans who effectively have joined al-Qaida or other terrorist enemies to attack the United States. It is a sad and painful reality that, since 9/11, the only Americans killed on American soil by Islamist extremists and terrorists have been killed by other Americans who have been radicalized, who have become enemy combatants. I am speaking particularly of MAJ Nidal Hasan who killed 13 people at Fort Hood, and then an American named Bledsoe, who walked into an Army recruiting station in Little Rock, AR, and killed an Army recruiter just because he was wearing a uniform of the U.S. Army. So these people have taken sides. They have joined the enemy. So to have this body at this time, as the threat of homegrown terrorism rises, say: No, they can't be treated as enemy combatants, not only does it not make sense and is totally unresponsive to the facts I have just described, the fact is, it is also dangerous. So I couldn't agree with the Senator more. I wish to thank Senator Ayotte, as we come to the end of this colloquy, for her initiative, frankly, for swiftly establishing herself in the Senate as one of our important leaders on national security matters.…
