Saxby Chambliss: “I rise to join Chairman Feinstein in thanking my colleagues for their support of the fiscal year 2012 Intelligence…”

“I rise to join Chairman Feinstein in thanking my colleagues for their support of the fiscal year 2012 Intelligence Authorization Act. Over the past several months, the committee has worked hard to resolve the final details of the bill and concerns raised by other committees and individual Members. The end result of this effort is a solid bill that ensures vigorous congressional oversight and provides needed authorities to the intelligence community. Of course, the vast majority of what the committee authorized is classified, so I cannot discuss specifics. I can say that the classified annex is designed to improve the operations of the intelligence community--from counterterrorism and counterproliferation to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and everything in between. This bill also implements fiscal discipline. Difficult economic times demand austerity, but cuts in this bill are specific and targeted to eliminate waste while preserving the critical work the intelligence community does to protect our country. In the unclassified area--and one of great importance to me--we reached an agreeable compromise with the Administration that gives the committee the information we need about the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees. As the recidivism rate among former detainees rises over 27 percent, it is critical that the committee have full insight into the transfer and resettlement process.…”