Issue Position: Judiciary Issues - Intelligence Gathering

Issue Position

The dramatic expansion of intelligence gathering powers facilitated by the passage of the PATRIOT Act and the other policies of the Justice Department under the direction of former Attorney General John Ashcroft and current Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have raised serious questions about government infringement on the right to privacy.

Bush Administration officials have sough to claim a wide range of new powers over both immigrants and citizens. The practice of targeting immigrants seems to have continued, though the government has stopped reporting the arrests.

As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), I have, and will continue to, keep an eye on the formulation of FBI intelligence gathering policy.

The system of checks and balances that has kept our country at the forefront of governmental efficiency must also be applied to congressional oversight of intelligence activities. Thus we can ensure that the principals on which our country was founded remain respected. We must strike a balance between refusing to compromise individuals civil rights and liberties and ensuring the safety of our country's security.

In that respect, I have led the charge to improve communication between federal intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). It is of utmost importance that the intelligence community establishes a uniform, multi-level security clearance system so that the cultural and linguistic knowledge of these experts can be fully leveraged.

I have also been actively engaged in promoting the Sensible, Multilateral American Response to Terrorism (SMART) security platform for the 21st century. This platform seeks to prevent future acts of terrorism by strengthening international institutions and respect for the rule of law, reducing the threat and stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction and reducing the proliferation of conventional weapons. This platform attempts to address the root causes of terrorism and violent conflict shifts the U.S. budget priorities to more effectively meet the country's security needs and pursues alternatives to war to the fullest extent possible.

America's security depends on real time and reliable intelligence. I am committed to achieving just that.

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