Collin Peterson: “I find this rule very disappointing. It effectively shuts down debate on an amendment to fully fund the Permanent Select…”

“I find this rule very disappointing. It effectively shuts down debate on an amendment to fully fund the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence's key counterterrorism operations. It is unusual for me to speak out like this, but 4 or 5 weeks ago it hit me, the current intelligence authorization bill that we are going to consider today is just not strong enough. It authorizes less than a third of the funds that the intelligence agencies need for key counterterrorism operations next year. That is just not right at a time when our Nation is under threat of terrorist attacks. The administration admits that this is not sufficient funding, and says it will seek more money after November. But there is ample evidence that al-Qaeda may try to strike before November. If there is another terrorist attack, do we want the next 9-11 Commission to find that we in Congress failed in our duty to fully fund counterterrorism in the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence?”