| < Go Back |
| |
For Immediate Release
July 25, 2004 |
| |
Shays, Maloney Establish Bipartisan 9-11
Commission Caucus
Washington, D.C. - Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Christopher
Shays, along with a bipartisan group of House members and
the Family Steering Committee, are promoting quick implementation
of Thursday’s 9-11 Commission Report.
Membership in their new 9-11 Commission Caucus will document
the commitment of members of Congress to advancing the commission’s
recommendations and will be closely tracked by the Family
Steering Committee, among others.
A bipartisan group of members of the House Armed Services,
Intelligence, Government Reform and International Relations
committees - including Representatives Mike Pence (IN), Dutch
Ruppersberger (MD), Mike Castle (DE), Jim Cooper (TN), Rob
Simmons (CT), Jerry Nadler (NY) and Christopher Smith (NJ)
- are among original members.
Last Thursday, the group wrote Speaker Hastert and Minority
Leader Pelosi to express support for the work of the commission
and to urge the Congress to move forward on the Commission’s
recommendations on a bipartisan basis as soon as possible.
Specifically, they believe:
1. Working with the Commission, some recommendations can
be implemented by an Executive Order of the President before
September.
2. House and Senate Committee Chairs, Ranking Members and
staff can meet with Commission staff to prepare an omnibus
bill on the more urgent, less controversial recommendations
not able to be implemented by Executive Order that could be
wrapped into a single bill voted on in early September. This
process has begun already in the Government Affairs and Government
Reform committees.
3. Hearings on the most controversial issues, such as National
Director of Intelligence and National Center on Counter-terrorism,
should begin as soon as possible to begin building a national
consensus.
4. House/Senate leadership staff can begin working on Congressional
reforms, to implement proposed changes in January (if not
before).
In its July 22 letter, the group noted, “Congress can
further honor those who were lost by setting aside partisan,
political rhetoric and moving swiftly on a bipartisan basis
to implement the Commission's recommendations.” Today,
they added, ”We will continue to work with members of
the Family Steering Committee and colleagues on both sides
of the aisle to emphasize that for the good of our country,
there is not a moment to lose.”
Dear Colleague
(PDF)
Contact: Sarah Moore,
202/225-5541
-30-
|
