FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 26, 2006

CONTACT: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider 202-226-7616

Pelosi Offers Motion for Secret Session to Discuss Reported National Intelligence Estimate Findings

Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi offered a privileged motion on the House floor today calling for the House to go into secret session to discuss the findings in a reported National Intelligence Estimate that concluded that the war in Iraq was making the war on terror more difficult to fight and win.  

Below are Pelosi’s statement and the text of the privileged motion:

“Media reports last weekend disclosed a consensus judgment of senior officers from across the intelligence community that the war in Iraq was having a serious negative impact on our efforts against terrorism.  Rather than reducing the number of terrorists worldwide and and lessening the motivation of terrorists to attack the United States, the war in Iraq is having precisely the opposite effect.

“These conclusions are reportedly contained in a National Intelligence Estimate published last April.  They are precisely the professional judgments that should have informed our debate through the spring and summer on the situation in Iraq and the best way forward.  Sadly, they did not, and President Bush has left the public with a false impression about the war in Iraq and the war on terrorism. 

“We did not invade Iraq to fight terrorism, as the President would now have us believe.  Instead, we are less safe today because the war in Iraq has hindered our ability to make progress in combating terrorism.  The reported NIE makes that case clearly. 

“As the House prepares to debate critical funding bills for the Department of Defense this week, we need to consider fully the assessments of our intelligence agencies on terrorism.  That is why I offered the motion to have the House go into secret session – it is our responsibility, as part of our duty to conduct oversight over the war in Iraq.”

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Offer of Motion on Secret Session

Mr. Speaker:  pursuant to clause 9 of Rule 17, I offer a privileged motion calling for a secret session on the reported intelligence assessment that the war in Iraq is hindering our global efforts against terrorism.

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi