Republican lawmakers, including the top GOP congressman on the House Intelligence Committee, openly opposed what they characterized as “the the flawed, extraordinarily delayed” Fiscal Year 2010 Intelligence Authorization Bill. Their opposition stems from the fact that the legislation was not updated to address the two terrorist attacks on the homeland that occurred since it was passed by the committee eight months ago.
The Republicans also forced Democrats to pull their flawed annual intelligence bill over language Democrats inserted that targeted CIA and intelligence community officers by creating a new criminal offense that would apply only to them. The provision was inserted into the bill late Wednesday night, without any consideration by the House Intelligence Committee or consultation with Republicans or the intelligence agencies it would negatively impact.
U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee said, “After an eight month delay voting on this intelligence bill, Democrats have refused to update it to reflect the flaws exposed by the Obama administration’s mishandling of the Detroit and Fort Hood terrorist attacks.”
Hoekstra said, “Instead Democrats tried to update it to target the CIA and intelligence community before beating a hasty retreat in the face of Republican and public opposition. Now on their latest attempt to pass the bill, the same Democrats who pursued the CIA over enhanced interrogations are refusing to hold Congress accountable for its bipartisan role in approving those techniques.
“This is a transparency and accountability moment for Congress, but now that the lights are on, Democrats are nowhere to be found. They are willing to investigate everyone but themselves. Congressional Republicans are willing to be held accountable and stand where we stood