April 06, 2006
Wyden Discusses Declassifiying 9/11 Commission Report with Intelligence Committee Chairman on Senate Floor
Washington, DC - Unofficial transcript of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) statement follows:MR. PRESIDENT, IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, CONGRESS CONVENED A BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL, JOINT INQUIRY INTO THE ACTIVITIES IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY BEFORE AND AFTER THE ATTACKS.I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE JOINT INQUIRY, AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED THERE. IN DECEMBER 2002, A REPORT WAS ISSUED IN WHICH WE STATED THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL SHOULD CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS AND REVIEWS AS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE AND TO WHAT EXTENT PERSONNEL AT ALL LEVELS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY OMISSION, OR FAILURE TO MEET PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS IN REGARDS TO THE IDENTIFICATION, PREVENTION, OR DISRUPTION OF TERRORIST ATTACKS. THE REPORT WENT ON TO STATE THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A. SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REVIEW. THE C.I.A. INSPECTOR GENERAL COMPLETED HIS REPORT IN JUNE 20, 2005. I'M SURPRISED THAT THE REPORT TOOK SO LONG TO COMPLETE, BUT I'M IMPRESSED WITH ITS QUALITY.AFTER THE REPORT OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION AND THE JOINT INQUIRY ITSELF, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST THOROUGH EXAMINATIONS THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY ACTIVITY BEFORE 9/11. IT PROVIDES A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND MAKES A NUMBER OF FINDINGS THAT IN MY VIEW SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS PART OF THE HISTORICAL RE RECORD. IT ALSO MAKES A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SHOULD BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.MR. PRESIDENT, THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO SEE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE PROTECTION OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ THE REPORT AND DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE C.I.A. INSPECTOR GENERAL HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER. BOTH THE CHAIRMAN AND THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HAVE SUPPORTED THE RELEASE OF THIS REPORT.AS CHAIRMAN ROBERTS HAS PUT IT AND I QUOTE "THE DEATH OF NEARLY 3,000 CITIZENS ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, GIVES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE A STRONG INTEREST IN KNOWING WHAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOUND AND WHETHER THOSE WHOSE PERFORMANCE WAS LACKING WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE." DESPITE THE CHAIRMAN, "THE C.I.A. HAS DECIDED NOT TO ACT ON THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT TO ACT AT ALL. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT NOTE THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DID NOT RECOMMEND THAT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL MERELY RECOMMENDED THAT THE ACTION OR INACTION OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS BE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. C.I.A. DIRECTOR PORTER GOSS HAS REFUSED TO ALLOW EVEN THIS INITIAL EXAMINATION.TWO MONTHS AGO I WROTE TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A., MR. GOSS, ASKING THAT THIS REPORT BE DECLASSIFIED AND RELEASED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I NOTIFIED DIRECTOR GOSS THAT IF I DID NOT SEE ANY PROGRESS WITHIN 60 DAYS, I WOULD TAKE ACTION TO RELEASE THIS REPORT TO THE PUBLIC. IT HAS BEEN OVER 60 DAYS, MR. PRESIDENT, AND STILL THE C.I.A. HAS NOT RESPONDED. MR. PRESIDENT, IN THE INTEREST OF MAKING THIS REPORT PUBLIC AND AVAILABLE TO THE AMERICAN PE PEOPLE, I ASK NOW UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE DIRECT THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE TO MAKE THIS REPORT AVAILABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?MR. ROBERTS: MR. PRESIDENT?THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM KANSAS.MR. ROBERTS: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT, I AGREE WITH THE SENATOR FROM OREGON THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT REPORT. WE WERE, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, VICIOUSLY ATTACKED ON 9/11 AND IN THE AFTERMATH OF THOSE ATTACKS, WE WANTED ANSWERS. MANY OF THOSE ANSWERS HAVE BEEN FOUND DURING THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS ARE CONTAINED IN THE REPORT. BUT THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS OF 9/11 HAVE A RIGHT TO THESE ANSWERS, AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO THESE ANSWERS. AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD TELL MY COLLEAGUE, WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS PROPERLY CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT. AND THIS INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.WHILE THE SENATOR IS CORRECT THAT THE C.I.A. HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY RESPONSIBLE TO HIM OR TO ME, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT RATHER THAN RELEASE THE REPORT IMMEDIATELY IN AN UNREDACTED FORM, THAT WE INSTEAD SIT DOWN WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND WORK TO REDACT ANY INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO REMAIN CLASSIFIED IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL SO, I WOULD OBJECT TO THE SENATOR'S REQUEST AND SUGGEST INSTEAD THAT WE WORK WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO REVIEW THIS REPORT AND DETERMINE WHAT CAN BE APPROPRIATELY RELEASED TO THEMR. WYDEN: MR. PRESIDENT?THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE OBJECTION IS HEARD. THE SENATOR FROM OREGON.MR. WYDEN: FIRST, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH ME AND FOR THE SUGGESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE BRING THIS ISSUE TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IMMEDIATE LY AND ASK THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO RELEASE THIS REPORT WITHIN 30 DAYS. IF THE SENATOR AGREES TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IMMEDIATELY SO THAT STAFF CAN BEGIN WORKING WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE OVER THE UPCOMING TWO-WEEK RECESS AND THE CHAIRMAN AND I CAN REVIEW THEIR PROGRESS WHEN WE RETURN, THEN I WOULD BE WILLING TO WITHDRAW MY UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST THAT THIS REPORT BE MADE PUBLIC IMMEDIATELY AT THIS TIME.MR. ROBERTS: MR. PRESIDENT?THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM KANSAS.MR. ROBERTS: MR. PRESIDENT, I THANK THE SENATOR FROM OREGON FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE ON THIS ISSUE. IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM ON IT. THIS CERTAINLY SOUNDS REASONABLE TO ME SO I THINK HE IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT IN HIS SUGGESTIONS. I'M BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH HIM AND I YIELD THE FLOOR.MR. WYDEN: MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD THEREFORE, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER COOPERATIVELY TO TURN THIS AROUND IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, I WOULD WITHDRAW MY UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST AT THIS TIME AND EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THE CHAIRMAN OF SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN ROBERTS.THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE REQUEST IS WITHDRAWN.Next Article
