WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of 9/11 families today
urged House and Senate conferees to support a proposal by Rep. Tim Roemer
(D-Ind.) to add a 9/11 independent commission, modeled on an amendment passed
two weeks ago by the Senate, to the Intelligence Authorization Act.
The Intelligence Authorization Act conference scheduled for tomorrow
evening may be the last chance for creation of the independent commission by
this Congress. The commission amendment passed by the Senate is part of the
Homeland Security Act, which is bogged down in a dispute over a labor issue.
In recent months, the need for a comprehensive investigation of the Sept.
11 attacks has received overwhelming bipartisan support from both the House
and the Senate. An independent commission amendment introduced by Rep. Roemer
passed the House in July by a vote of 219-188, and House support has increased
ever since. The Senate commission amendment, introduced by Sens. Joseph
Lieberman (D-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), passed by a vote of 90-8.
In recent weeks, the independent commission idea has won support from many
members of the intelligence committees, particularly Senate Chairman Bob
Graham (D-Fla.), Senate Ranking Minority Member Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), and
House Ranking Minority Member Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). On Sept. 21, the White
House announced its public support for a commission, although it is not clear
that the White House supports the broad, independent commission envisioned by
Sens. Lieberman and McCain and Rep. Roemer.
Despite this broad support, there may be no independent commission passed
in this Congress unless House Intelligence Committee Chairman Porter Goss (R-
Fla.) and a majority of the members of the House and Senate Intelligence
Committees agree in tomorrow's conference to make the measure part of the
Intelligence Authorization Act. The remaining opposition to a commission
appears to come from some House Republicans.
The Campaign for a 9/11 Independent Commission, which represents the
families of those killed in the attacks, asks "Are members of the Intelligence
Committees willing to respect the will of their colleagues in Congress and the
desire of the 9/11 families and the American people for accountability and
reform? Or will they allow these voices to be ignored, the commission
proposal to fail, and an opportunity to restore the public's confidence in
nation's ability to protect its citizens to pass?
"We hope that Chairman Goss, President Bush, and all of the members of the
House and Senate Intelligence Committees will support this essential
initiative in the crucial vote tomorrow evening."
The Campaign for a 9/11 Independent Commission does not want to see the
scope or power of the commission unduly limited. The group says it will
support the commission only if it possesses the following characteristics:
* Investigative function. The commission must be charged with
investigating all facts and circumstances relating to the terrorist
attacks, including any relevant legislation, executive order,
regulation, plan, policy, practice, or procedure.
* Broad scope. The commission must examine the intelligence agencies;
law enforcement agencies; diplomacy; immigration, nonimmigrant
visas, and border control; the flow of assets to terrorist
organizations; commercial aviation; and other areas of the public
and private sectors determined relevant by the commission for its
inquiry. It must review the performance of all relevant executive-
branch agencies and congressional committees.
* Independent. None of the commissioners may be an officer or
employee of the federal government or any state or local government.
No officer or employee of the government may have any role in the
writing or editing of the commission's reports.
* Bipartisan. No more than one-half of the commissioners may be from
the same party. The chairman and the vice chairman may not be from
the same party. People from the same party may select no more than
one-half of the commissioners.
* Unrestricted subpoena power. The commission must be empowered to
require attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the
production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda,
papers, and documents as the commission may determine advisable.
* Ample duration. The duration of the commission's investigation must
be at least 18 months.
* Public hearings and reports. The commission should hold public
hearings and release public reports that disclose all information
and findings, except where such disclosure would compromise
intelligence sources and methods, defense and security plans and
intentions, or ongoing criminal investigations.
The members of the Campaign for a 9/11 Independent Commission are Families
of September 11, September 11th Advocates, the Skyscraper Safety Campaign, and
Voices of September 11th.
SOURCE Families of September 11
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.familiesofseptember11.org
CONTACT:
Stephen Push of Families of September 11,
+1-202-393-3996
|
