back FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  CONTACT: December 7, 2004 Kate Dwyer: 202-226-7326 House Approves Intelligence Overhaul Wisconsin’s First District Congressman Paul Ryan today voted in favor of compromise legislation agreed to by House and Senate negotiators to restructure and reform the U.S. intelligence system, take new steps to thwart terrorism, and strengthen homeland security.  The House of Representatives approved this legislation (S. 2845) by a vote of 336-75.  The sweeping overhaul responds to the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations regarding intelligence and national security.  The Senate is expected to pass this measure soon.  Then it will be sent to the President for his signature.  This legislation creates a Director of National Intelligence to serve as the head of the U.S. intelligence community and manage the National Intelligence Program.  The final compromise legislation keeps the nation’s intelligence spending classified and clarifies chain-of-command language to preserve the ability of the Secretary of Defense to manage defense intelligence community assets to effectively support troops on the battlefield.  The measure did not include reforms advocated by fellow Wisconsin Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner to prevent states from issuing driver’s licenses to illegal aliens and to improve our nation’s asylum laws.  Congressman Ryan voted for these reforms in the original House intelligence reform bill.     “Although we didn’t get all the reforms we wanted with this plan, it contains many crucial improvements that will build a stronger intelligence system and help protect Americans,” Ryan said.  “It also protects the chain of command so that critical intelligence gets to our troops in the field when they need it.  Overall, this legislation will help us combat terrorism and better manage our intelligence assets.”   “While the bill doesn’t move forward on certain immigration issues, it doesn’t slide backward either.  I agree with my colleague Congressman Sensenbrenner that further reforms are necessary, and I look forward to working with him next year on these remaining issues.  With this bill, we passed 90% of the reforms we wanted, and that is a good step forward.  With the commitments we have from the White House and congressional leadership on passing these crucial immigration reforms, I believe we have moved the process forward,” Ryan said.       S. 2845 includes numerous provisions to upgrade our nation’s intelligence system and make the U.S. safer.  Among them are the following:  Creates a Director of National Intelligence, separate from the Director of the CIA, to serve as head of the intelligence community and oversee and direct the implementation of the National Intelligence Program.  Establishes a National Counterterrorism Center to coordinate across departmental lines and serve as the primary Executive Branch organization for counterterrorism intelligence and strategic operational planning.  Creates a Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board charged with ensuring that privacy and civil liberties concerns are appropriately considered in the implementation of laws, regulations, and policies of the government related to efforts to protect against terrorism. Keeps intelligence spending classified. Preserves the ability of the Secretary of Defense to manage defense intelligence community assets to effectively support combatant commanders.  Requires the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress on the existing human intelligence (HUMINT) capacity, including a plan to implement changes to accelerate improvements to, and increase the capacity of, HUMINT across the intelligence community. Strengthens foreign language training and resources for the intelligence community. Authorizes federal officials to track lone-wolf terrorists – those who act individually and are not affiliated with a known terrorist group. Strengthens laws against weapons of mass destruction and against providing material support to terrorists. Enhances airline security in several ways such as promoting the use of biometric technologies and directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to propose minimum standards for identification documents required to board a domestic flight.  Directs the Secretary of State to require an in-person interview with a consular officer for nonimmigrant- visa applicants who are at least 14 years of age and not more than 79 years of age (subject to waiver).  Includes numerous provisions that encourage and facilitate better cooperation with our allies in the war on terrorism and promote cross-cultural understanding.  Doubles the current number of border patrol officers to 10,000 over the next 5 years and provides 40,000 new detention beds to prevent potential terrorists from being released onto the streets.   back