Maurice Hinchey: “I am very much opposed to this rule. This is an issue that deserves a lot more attention than is allowed under this…”

“I am very much opposed to this rule. This is an issue that deserves a lot more attention than is allowed under this rule. It is a closed rule, has no opportunity for amendments. Let me just cite one example of the language in this resolution which needs much more attention than is provided under this rule and frankly within the resolution itself. In the resolution, it says that the United States today is safer than it was on September 11, 2001. I disagree with that, and I think a great many people disagree with it because all of the evidence points in the other direction. We are not safer today than we were. Why are we not safer? Primarily because the administration and the leadership in this Congress corrupted the attack against the United States on September 11, 2001, and behaved in ways that have made the Nation less safe. Instead of focusing on the perpetrators of the attack of September 11, 2001, the al Qaeda network and the leader, Osama bin Laden, the administration and the Defense Department backed off. They let him escape and he is free today. The fact of the matter is 19 members of al Qaeda attacked the United States on September 11, 2001. There was a handful of them in addition to those 19. Now that number has grown enormously. There are far more members of al Qaeda and associate terrorist networks spread all over the Middle East, and they are engaged in activities which constitute a threat to our country and many others.…”