September 18, 2002

Statement by Congresswoman Jane Harman
On the Joint House-Senate Intelligence Committee Inquiry

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the House-Senate Joint Intelligence Committee Inquiry holds its first public hearings, it is vital to remember that the inquiry is only one of many steps being taken to make our nation safe from terrorism.

The House passed legislation to create a Department of Homeland Security to organize and implement a national unified strategy to protect the homeland. The Senate is now expected to vote on the legislation in a matter of days.

The House also passed by a vote of 422-2 legislation requiring intelligence to be shared across federal agencies and vertically to first responders. This bill now awaits action by the Senate.

The House Subcommittee on Homeland Security and Terrorism, of which I am Ranking Member, issued a report in July assessing the gaps in the capabilities of the CIA, FBI, and NSA and recommending structural and procedural changes. Our report found community-wide shortages in language capabilities. It also found cultural and technological barriers to information sharing within agencies and across the federal government. The Joint Inquiry is building on this report, and action is underway within the agencies to close these gaps.

Our Subcommittee’s work continues; a priority in upcoming weeks is improving intelligence on WMD capabilities in rogue nations.

Three national commissions - the Gilmore Commission, the Hart/Rudman Commission, and the Bremer Commission, on which I served - have investigated methods for fighting terrorism and strengthening security. All have issued recommendations, from creating a Department of Homeland Security to improving foreign language capabilities, that still await action.

The Joint Inquiry’s mission to uncover the plot leading up to 9-11 is one strand in a much larger fabric. We cannot afford to lose sight of our mission as lawmakers. We must use this inquiry to look backward, so that we can continue to move forward.

My promise to the victims’ families is to do all I can to prevent future attacks.

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