Madam Speaker, Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Report to the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, and I urge my colleagues to adopt it. 

As a member of the Intelligence Committee, I am pleased that this conference report will improve our security and protect the freedoms that make this country great.  It includes critical funding for counter-terrorism, human intelligence and counterintelligence efforts.  Furthermore, as my colleagues have discussed, it brings the Intelligence Community in line with the rest of our national security professionals by requiring it to abide by the Army Field Manual when conducting interrogations. 

The members of the Intelligence Committee devote many hours behind closed doors addressing some of the most important national security issues facing our nation.  This conference report reflects the high priority that the committee, led by the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Reyes, on Congressional oversight of the Intelligence Community.   The measure includes a number of provisions to restore a greater role for Congress and to ensure that our intelligence activities are not subject to political influence.

It requires the Central Intelligence Agency’s Inspector General to audit all covert action programs every three years;

It requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to provide Congress with a comprehensive listing of all special access programs so that the Intelligence Community is keeping us fully informed of its activities;

It requires a report on compliance with the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 and provisions of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 regarding detentions and interrogations, and mandates that the Administration provide Congress with the Justice Department’s legal opinions related to these activities;

And it requires semi-annual reports on what we know about the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea to that we have accurate and timely information.

Madam Speaker, strong oversight is essential to effective government and to the ability of our Intelligence Community to respond to the threats we face today.  This conference report will demand accountability and give our intelligence professionals the resources they need to keep Americans safe.

Thank you.  I yield back the balance of my time.