New York Representatives' Letter to Bush Implores Cooperation with the 9-11 Commission

The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500
March 3, 2004

Dear Mr. President,

As representatives of the people of New York, we are writing to implore you to begin to fully cooperate with the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. Today, The New York Times reported that the commission will not accept the strict limitations you and Vice President Cheney intend to put on your prospective interviews with the panel. Specifically, it is reported that the commission believes your desire to limit each interview to one hour and to meet only with Chairman Kean and Vice Chairman Hamilton would be insufficient for its purposes.

It is highly unfortunate that, according to a long and continuing list of press reports, you and your Administration have made the commission's job difficult on multiple occasions. From refusing to share documents to initially rejecting a deadline extension to now restricting interviews with some of 9/11's most important players, the commission has been severely disadvantaged. The commission is seeking additional time to complete its report in large part because of this poor cooperation on the part of your administration. We are hopeful that now, in the final weeks of the commission's existence, your White House will provide full cooperation and that the commission can still produce an accurate report.

The 9/11 commission serves invaluable purposes for our country and for those directly impacted by the horrific terrorist attacks. As you well know, an accurate, thorough final report will teach us serious lessons about our preparation for terrorism and will guide our nation's security in the future. Furthermore, it will bring a measure of understanding and closure to the victims' loved ones and indeed to Americans as a whole, all of whom were affected by 9/11.

Every day, we New Yorkers carry with us the memory of the loved ones, friends and neighbors killed on 9/11. Together, we lost thousands of constituents to the attacks. When we are home in New York, we are reminded constantly of that fateful day in 2001.

Our city and our nation needs answers. Mr. President, please help the commission get those answers by agreeing to its conditions for an interview. We thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Maloney (NY-14)

Jerrold Nadler (NY-08)

Maurice Hinchey (NY-22)

Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04)

Eliot Engel (NY-17)

Michael McNulty (NY-21)

Tim Bishop (NY-01)

Edolphus Towns (NY-10)

Major Owens (NY-11)

Charles Rangel (NY-15)

José Serrano (NY-16)

Nita Lowey (NY-18)