Ted Poe: “I would like to thank Chairman Rogers for supporting this amendment but, more importantly, for his work on the…”

“I would like to thank Chairman Rogers for supporting this amendment but, more importantly, for his work on the Intelligence Committee for so many years and, prior to that, your work with the FBI. As a former judge, I got to see a lot of FBI agents come and testify in Texas, and they have a wonderful reputation. You also have that reputation, and thank you for your service in law enforcement and in the House. I also want to thank the ranking member for his support, generally, for this amendment. This amendment requires the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with relevant agencies, to produce a strategy to defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates. The amendment requires that the President clearly define groups like core al Qaeda and al Qaeda affiliates and other terms the administration uses to define this enemy of America. Al Qaeda continues to threaten the security of the United States and our allies, both here 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 technical, tactical, and strategic direction to its affiliates throughout 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 our intelligence services or even the administration. Today, al Qaeda controls more territory than it ever has.…”