Ted Poe: “I would like to thank Chairman McKeon for supporting my amendment and allowing it to come to the floor. This Amendment…”

“I would like to thank Chairman McKeon for supporting my amendment and allowing it to come to the floor. This Amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to get an independent assessment of U.S. efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaeda, its affiliates, and other associated groups. Al-Qaeda continues to threaten the security of the U.S. and our allies, both at home and abroad. Our intelligence services and our military have scored some real gains against al-Qaeda, but al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan is still able to provide tactical and ideological direction to its affiliates around the world. Al-Qaeda has gone from ``on the verge of strategic defeat'' to a serious and growing threat, depending on who you ask in the Administration or intelligence services. Today al-Qaeda controls more territory than ever. The fight against al-Qaeda is far from over. This amendment is necessary so we can have outside experts evaluate this Administration's efforts against alQaeda and what we should do about it.”