Susan Collins

The idea that there is resistance on this is really troubling to me.

The intelligence community is resistant to change, but change is precisely what the Intelligence Reform Act directed the DNI to achieve

But my question is not the desirability of the policy. It is trying to establish authority.

I was shocked to learn from the GAO that 1,150 people on the terrorist watchlist as of Christmas Day had valid U.S. visas.

The DNI was established to be, in Secretary Powell's memorable words, the 'quarterback' of the intelligence community

It seems to me you would want to just build it into the system so that it is not a choice.

What worries me about that approach is it seems to me to not really be risk-based and to encourage terrorists to travel through other countries or use citizens of countries that are not on the 14-country list.

I would like to ask you, Mr. Healy, and you, Mr. Travers, I know you are looking at that standard, but in your judgment, is that standard too high for listing someone.

Traveling to our country is not a right, it is a privilege

I guess what I am troubled by is it is still discretionary in a way.

To me, when it says that the Director of the CIA shall report to the Director of National Intelligence regarding the activities of the CIA, it says 'shall.'

The problem is only going to get worse when we have to share with other folks.

I do not think it is a good answer to say, well, thousands of people could have found this information, because that is not the job of thousands of people.

Should an individual who is known to associate with known terrorists be on at least the Selectee List for additional screening?

From my perspective, the State Department clearly had sufficient information to revoke Abdulmutallab's visa.

As Senator Collins has pointed out, in the wake of the intelligence failures of September 11, 2001, and the weapons of mass destruction.

We need to ensure, I think, that the DHS has the identifying information it needs about international passengers at least 24 hours before departure.

In fact, my favorite name for the bill is the Collins-Lieberman Intelligence Reform Act.

It is outrageous that our Nation's top intelligence officials were never even consulted on this vital decision.

There is, in fact, precedent for detaining someone on American soil as an enemy combatant in the military system, and that is Jose Padilla.

Very few of those 400,000 would have valid current visas.

Today's hearing focuses on two fundamental questions. Why was the Christmas Day bomber allowed to travel to the United States? And why was his name not included on the terrorist watchlist?

Intelligence failures, calls for reform, lack of accountability, failure to connect the dots.

It is my understanding that the request has been in your office for a year.

One of the issues that really troubles me is a conversation that I had with a member of the intelligence community who said, you do not understand.