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Shays, Maloney,
9/11 Families Push for More Action on 9/11 Commission Recommendations
Washington, D.C. – Nearly two years after
the 9/11 Commission issued its final report, Representatives
Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Co-Chairs
of the 9/11 Commission Caucus, again called for Congressional
action on the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations which
have still not been fully implemented. They were joined by
family members who lost loved ones on September 11th, including
Carol Ashley, mother of Janice; Rosemary Dillard, wife of
Eddie; Mary Fetchet, mother of Brad & co-founder of Voices
of September 11th; Don Goodrich, father of Peter; and Abraham
Scott, husband of Janice Marie.
Last December, the 9/11 Public Discourse Project graded the
government on implementation of their recommendations, issuing
a failing, near-failing or average grade on action on 27 of
their 41 recommendations. As a result, Shays and Maloney introduced
H.R. 5017, the Ensuring Implementation of the 9/11 Commission
Report Act, which addresses each of the recommendation and
holds the appropriate agency accountable for reporting to
Congress on its actions. Click here to see the 9/11 Public
Discourse Project’s report card: http://www.9-11pdp.org/press/2005-12-05_summary.pdf.
The bill is endorsed by 9/11 Commissioners Tom Kean and Lee
Hamilton, Voices of September 11th Co-Founder and Director
Mary Fetchet and Carie Lemack, daughter of Judy Larocque and
Co-Founder of Families of September 11th. Click here to read
the Commissioners’ endorsement letter: http://maloney.house.gov/documents/911recovery/20060602KeanHamilton.pdf.
“When the 9/11 Commission tells us the government has
earned more F’s than A’s on implementing their
recommendations, it means we have some serious work left to
do,” Shays said. “We are safer, thanks to progress
reforming the intelligence community, but we are still not
safe. Almost two years after the Commission released its 41
thoughtful proposals, there are 27 for which the government
received an average, near-failing or failing grade. Today
we are reminding the American people and Congress that the
9/11 Commission’s work cannot be in vain; it’s
time for more action.”
“Far too many of the Commission’s recommendations
remain untouched and ignored,” Maloney said. “The
Commission gave us a well-informed report, a blueprint for
improving our security. Congress has let much of it sit on
a shelf and collect dust. Instead of sitting still, we need
to use the Commission’s guidance to make this country
safer.”
Following the press conference, Shays chaired a hearing of
the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and
International Relations, of which Maloney is a senior member.
During the hearing, entitled "9/11 Commission Recommendations:
Balancing Civil Liberties and Security," the Representatives
heard testimony from 9/11 Commissioners Kean and Hamilton;
Chair Carol Dinkins and Vice Chair Alan Raul of the Privacy
and Civil Liberties Oversight Board; and families who lost
loved ones on September 11th. They looked broadly at the work
which remains to implement the recommendations, with a particular
focus on the status of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight
Board’s work. Click here to read Shays’ opening
statement: http://www.house.gov/shays/news/2006/june/commissionstatement.doc
In their testimony Commissioners Kean and Hamilton said,
“We analyzed the 41 recommendations from another standpoint:
Where do we need legislation, and where do we need work on
implementation? We found that roughly half of the Commission’s
were addressed by legislation, primarily in the 2004 Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. The bigger problem, we
have found, is the challenge of implementation. Even when
the letter of our recommendations was written into law, implementation
has been lagging.”
“In some cases, implementation can be expected to take
years. In every case, Congress needs to provide robust oversight
to ensure that reforms are carried out. For this reason, we
welcome and strongly support the bill H.R. 5017 introduced
by Chairman Shays and Representative Maloney,” Kean
and Hamilton continued. “H.R. 5017, a bill to ensure
implementation of the recommendations of the National Commission
on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, changes the law
where necessary to carry out the Commission’s recommendations.
Just as importantly, H.R. 5017 shines a bright light on the
question of implementation and ensuring that Executive branch
agencies stay focused on carrying out what the law already
requires.” Click here to read their full testimony:
http://www.house.gov/shays/news/2006/june/testimony060606.doc.
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