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Wyden Discusses
Declassifying 9/11 Commission Report
with Intelligence Committee Chairman on Senate Floor
April 6, 2006
Washington, DC – Unofficial
transcript of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) statement follows:
MR. PRESIDENT, IN THE AFTERMATH
OF THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, CONGRESS CONVENED
A BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL, JOINT INQUIRY INTO THE ACTIVITIES IN
THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY BEFORE AND AFTER THE ATTACKS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON
THE JOINT INQUIRY, AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED
THERE. IN DECEMBER 2002, A REPORT WAS ISSUED IN WHICH WE STATED
THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL SHOULD CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS AND REVIEWS
AS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE AND TO WHAT EXTENT PERSONNEL AT ALL
LEVELS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY OMISSION, OR FAILURE
TO MEET PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS IN REGARDS TO THE IDENTIFICATION,
PREVENTION, OR DISRUPTION OF TERRORIST ATTACKS. THE REPORT WENT
ON TO STATE THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A. SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE
ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REVIEW. THE C.I.A.
INSPECTOR GENERAL COMPLETED HIS REPORT IN JUNE 20, 2005. I'M SURPRISED
THAT THE REPORT TOOK SO LONG TO COMPLETE, BUT I'M IMPRESSED WITH
ITS QUALITY.
AFTER THE REPORT OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION
AND THE JOINT INQUIRY ITSELF, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST THOROUGH EXAMINATIONS
THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY ACTIVITY BEFORE 9/11. IT PROVIDES A
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND MAKES A NUMBER OF FINDINGS THAT IN MY VIEW
SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS PART OF THE HISTORICAL
RE RECORD. IT ALSO MAKES A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT SHOULD
BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED.
MR. PRESIDENT, THE PUBLIC HAS A
RIGHT TO SEE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE PROTECTION
OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
READ THE REPORT AND DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER THE RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE C.I.A. INSPECTOR GENERAL HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT IN A SATISFACTORY
MANNER. BOTH THE CHAIRMAN AND THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE HAVE SUPPORTED THE RELEASE OF THIS REPORT.
AS CHAIRMAN ROBERTS HAS PUT IT AND
I QUOTE "THE DEATH OF NEARLY 3,000 CITIZENS ON SEPTEMBER
11, 2001, GIVES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE A STRONG INTEREST IN KNOWING
WHAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOUND AND WHETHER THOSE WHOSE PERFORMANCE
WAS LACKING WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE." DESPITE THE CHAIRMAN,
"THE C.I.A. HAS DECIDED NOT TO ACT ON THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S
RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT TO ACT AT ALL. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT NOTE
THAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DID NOT RECOMMEND THAT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS
BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL MERELY RECOMMENDED
THAT THE ACTION OR INACTION OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS BE EXAMINED
TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. C.I.A. DIRECTOR
PORTER GOSS HAS REFUSED TO ALLOW EVEN THIS INITIAL EXAMINATION.
TWO MONTHS AGO I WROTE TO THE DIRECTOR
OF THE C.I.A., MR. GOSS, ASKING THAT THIS REPORT BE DECLASSIFIED
AND RELEASED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I NOTIFIED DIRECTOR GOSS THAT
IF I DID NOT SEE ANY PROGRESS WITHIN 60 DAYS, I WOULD TAKE ACTION
TO RELEASE THIS REPORT TO THE PUBLIC. IT HAS BEEN OVER 60 DAYS,
MR. PRESIDENT, AND STILL THE C.I.A. HAS NOT RESPONDED. MR. PRESIDENT,
IN THE INTEREST OF MAKING THIS REPORT PUBLIC AND AVAILABLE TO
THE AMERICAN PE PEOPLE, I ASK NOW UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE SENATE
DIRECT THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE TO MAKE THIS
REPORT AVAILABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?
MR. ROBERTS: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR
FROM KANSAS.
MR. ROBERTS: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT, I AGREE WITH THE SENATOR
FROM OREGON THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT REPORT. WE WERE, AS
EVERYBODY KNOWS, VICIOUSLY ATTACKED ON 9/11 AND IN THE AFTERMATH
OF THOSE ATTACKS, WE WANTED ANSWERS. MANY OF THOSE ANSWERS HAVE
BEEN FOUND DURING THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS
ARE CONTAINED IN THE REPORT. BUT THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS OF
9/11 HAVE A RIGHT TO THESE ANSWERS, AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE
A RIGHT TO THESE ANSWERS. AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD TELL MY COLLEAGUE,
WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS PROPERLY CLASSIFIED
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT.
AND THIS INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
WHILE THE SENATOR IS CORRECT THAT
THE C.I.A. HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY RESPONSIBLE TO HIM OR TO ME,
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT RATHER THAN RELEASE THE REPORT IMMEDIATELY
IN AN UNREDACTED FORM, THAT WE INSTEAD SIT DOWN WITH THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL AND WORK TO REDACT ANY INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO REMAIN
CLASSIFIED IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL SO, I WOULD OBJECT TO THE
SENATOR'S REQUEST AND SUGGEST INSTEAD THAT WE WORK WITH THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL TO REVIEW THIS REPORT AND DETERMINE WHAT CAN BE APPROPRIATELY
RELEASED TO THE
MR. WYDEN: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE OBJECTION IS HEARD. THE SENATOR FROM
OREGON.
MR. WYDEN: FIRST, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH
ME AND FOR THE SUGGESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD. I
WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE BRING THIS ISSUE TO THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL IMMEDIATE LY AND ASK THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO RELEASE
THIS REPORT WITHIN 30 DAYS. IF THE SENATOR AGREES TO BRING THIS
ISSUE TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IMMEDIATELY SO THAT STAFF CAN BEGIN
WORKING WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE OVER THE UPCOMING
TWO-WEEK RECESS AND THE CHAIRMAN AND I CAN REVIEW THEIR PROGRESS
WHEN WE RETURN, THEN I WOULD BE WILLING TO WITHDRAW MY UNANIMOUS
CONSENT REQUEST THAT THIS REPORT BE MADE PUBLIC IMMEDIATELY AT
THIS TIME.
MR. ROBERTS: MR. PRESIDENT?
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM KANSAS.
MR. ROBERTS: MR. PRESIDENT, I THANK THE SENATOR FROM OREGON FOR
HIS WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE ON THIS ISSUE. IT'S AN IMPORTANT
ISSUE. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM ON IT. THIS CERTAINLY
SOUNDS REASONABLE TO ME SO I THINK HE IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT IN
HIS SUGGESTIONS. I'M BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH HIM AND I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
MR. WYDEN: MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD THEREFORE, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING
TO WORK TOGETHER COOPERATIVELY TO TURN THIS AROUND IN THE NEXT
30 DAYS, I WOULD WITHDRAW MY UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST AT THIS
TIME AND EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THE CHAIRMAN OF SENATE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN ROBERTS.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE REQUEST IS WITHDRAWN.
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