Olympia Snowe: “I rise to address a very specific but invaluable component of the intelligence reform package before us today. As many…”

“I rise to address a very specific but invaluable component of the intelligence reform package before us today. As many may know, before the release of the 9/11 Commission report earlier this year, I introduced stand-alone legislation--cosponsored by Senator Mikulski--creating an Inspector General for Intelligence. The "Intelligence Community Accountability Act of 2004" proposed an independent inspector general for the entire intelligence community-- all fifteen agencies and department members. I introduced this legislation largely as a result of my experience as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee which undertook a year-long investigation on the pre-war intelligence of Iraq. I commend the efforts and tremendous work of the authors of the underlying bill--they have embraced the concept and spirit of my earlier bill and have included language in their legislation creating an Inspector General for the National Intelligence Director. I would also like to thank Senators Roberts, Mikulski and Feinstein for their support in being original cosponsors of an amendment I was prepared to offer on this subject. I will not offer that amendment but I want to make clear my intentions to continue working for better and more comprehensive accountability in our intelligence community. In that vein, I want to express my strong opposition to any amendment or proposal that would weaken the language on the authorities and powers of the NID's inspector general.”