Political Quotes

“We appreciate very much the majority leader and Senator Daschle's deliberateness in moving forward on reform, not only of the intelligence community but also congressional reform. It would be easy to put that aside, but I think it is important that we move forward as the 9/11 Commission recommended. They have said quite clearly, you can't do one without the other. What we have done, working with the other 20 members of the task force, is come up with what political scientists say are some significant changes in the history of this body. I don't know if that is true or not, but there are some significant changes which would create a new Homeland Security authorizing committee that would not necessitate the Secretary, as he has this year, appearing 164 times before different committees and subcommittees. Eighty-eight different subcommittees and committees have jurisdiction over him. That is not good. The new Homeland Security committee will take jurisdiction from 10 different committees. We also are creating, from the pattern given to us by the 9/11 Commission, a very strong Intelligence Committee.”