Orrin Hatch: “I strongly support Senator Thompson's amendment to strike the portions of Senator Lieberman's substitute amendment that…”

“I strongly support Senator Thompson's amendment to strike the portions of Senator Lieberman's substitute amendment that would create a National Office for Combating Terrorism in the White House. Senator Lieberman's substitute would create this Office in the White House in addition to creating the Department of Homeland Security. I initially question the wisdom of creating two separate offices with identical goals and overlapping jurisdiction, when the entire point of creating a single Department of Homeland Security is to oversee and coordinate the efforts of many different agencies in this immensely important area. But I have another, more pressing concern: encouraging good decision-making. Senator Lieberman's bill would make the heads of both the National Office for Combating Terrorism and the Secretary of Homeland Security subject to confirmation by the Senate and congressional oversight hearings. So far as the office in the White House is concerned, I disagree with such an invasive approach. We need to be mindful of the important role that confidential communications play in the deliberative process for all important decisions--including the decisions that we as lawmakers make after careful and candid discussions with our staff.”