Intelligence Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2010

Floor Speech

Intelligence Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2010

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Mr. PETERS. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of the Schauer amendment to the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

Like many Americans, my Christmas Day spent with family was interrupted by the news of the attempted terrorist attack on Northwest Flight No. 253 to Detroit.

As a lifelong Michigan resident whose friends, family, and constituents regularly fly in and out of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, the Christmas Day attempt was especially chilling. While it was certainly fortunate that no lives were lost in the Christmas Day attempt, the attack exposed serious and unacceptable shortcomings in our ability to gather intelligence and to connect the dots.

I believe that protecting the American people is Congress' number one priority and responsibility. The Christmas Day incident showed us that security officials need to work more closely with their counterparts overseas and within the United States intelligence community to ensure tougher and more coordinated screening.

I appreciate my friend Congressman Schauer's leadership on this important issue, and I am proud to support the Schauer amendment because it will help ensure that we learn as much as possible about the failures that allowed the events of Christmas Day 2009 to transpire.

I urge the adoption of this amendment.

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