On the last day of the 108^th Congress -- with strong bipartisan support -- the House and Senate passed an important bill that will help protect our nation from future terrorist attacks. In passing the Intelligence Bill, Congress adopted most of the unanimous recommendations of the 9/11 Commissioners to reorganize our nation’s intelligence community so that we can more effectively fight the War on Terrorism.

As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I strongly supported the recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission. After an exhaustive review of events that led to the Sept. 11^th tragedies, the 9/11 Commission last July proposed a three-pronged global strategy to prevent future terrorist attacks in this country.

The Commissioners’ goals were comprehensive: attack terrorists and their organizations before they attack us, prevent the continued growth of Islamic terrorists, and protect our nation against and prepare for future terrorist attacks. To accomplish them, the 9/11 Commission recommended a major restructuring of how our intelligence community gathers, analyzes, and distributes information and plans covert operations.

Key to reorganizing the intelligence community is the creation of a Director of National Intelligence (DNI) with broad coordinating authority over all 15 spy agencies. The DNI will have the ability to manage our nation’s intelligence programs and set priorities. The final bill also establishes a National Counterterrorism Center within the Office of the DNI to coordinate and unify all elements of counterterrorism operations and planning.

However, I was disappointed that the final bill removed what I consider several important provisions. It removed language that would have allowed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to shift federal funding for anti-terrorism and homeland security from a per capita basis to one based on threats, intelligence, risks and vulnerabilities.

The final bill also removed several other provisions that would have aided Maryland’s efforts to improve homeland security. It dropped a provision that would have directed the DHS to factor in proximity to past acts of terrorism and the presence of commuter and tourist populations when funding homeland security needs.

While I was disappointed that these provisions were removed from the bill, I will be working next year to get changes made in homeland security funding so we can better protect our nation from future terrorist attacks.

I am extremely pleased that the final bill includes a long-term strategy for winning the struggle of ideas in the Islamic world. It would increase U.S. media outreach to the Arab world, expand cultural and exchange programs, and promote economic development and the rule of law in the Middle East. We must never forget that we are engaged in a struggle of ideas and we must set an example of moral and humane leadership that can counter the terrorist ideologies of hate and destruction.

The capabilities of our intelligence community are critical to our defense against future terrorist attacks. To win the War on Terrorism we need a global strategy that is both offensive and defensive. We need better intelligence, coordination and planning, more funds for homeland security and first responders, and a moral belief system that can win over those who would do us harm. The newly passed Intelligence Bill provides us with the tools we need to succeed.

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