[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 5, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H8849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 APPOINTMENT OF CONFEREES ON H.R. 2883, INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION ACT 
                          FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002

  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 2883) to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2002 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities 
of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and 
the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and 
for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the 
Senate amendment, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, since September 11, all Americans have 
witnessed our intelligence community at its best.
  We have witnessed their loss, our first combat loss of an American 
hero in our war against terrorism, CIA agent Johnny ``Mike'' Spann. We 
must provide the resources needed to combat terrorism at the most basic 
level, intelligence.
  This is a good bill. It provides significant resources to the 
intelligence community, which during the 1990s was underfinanced, 
understaffed, and underappreciated.
  The 1990s was a ``risk averse'' period, during which the bullies of 
the world began to get the idea that the United States had gone soft, 
and no longer had a will to defend American lives and American 
interests.
  The intelligence community often was not performing aggressively 
enough, though this was by no means the fault of the dedicated men and 
women who constitute the intelligence agencies' rank-and-file.
  They are now doing a stupendous job of catchup, and they deserve the 
best support we can give them.
  Regarding today's needs, we are providing logistical and technical 
resources for a worldwide campaign to root out terrorism.
  Our intelligence officers are working on the ground in Afghanistan, 
as the American public is now aware--sadly aware with the news of our 
fallen CIA hero.
  What the American public will probably never know is that American 
intelligence officers are working around the clock, worldwide, to 
neutralize terrorist cells and otherwise diminish the possibility of 
future attacks on innocent American citizens.
  As for future needs, this bill provides resources for greater foreign 
language expertise, increased specialized training, increased 
analytical expertise to include measures to restore the intelligence 
community's ability to provide worldwide analytical coverage.
  This administration and this Congress are acutely aware of the need 
for a strong intelligence capability. We on the Intelligence Committee 
have done our utmost to give the intelligence agencies what they need 
to do their job.
  I urge your support on this motion.

                              {time}  1030

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gillmor). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Florida?
  The Chair hears none and, without objection, appoints the following 
conferees:
  From the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, for 
consideration of the House bill and the Senate amendment, and 
modifications committed to conference: Messrs. Goss, Bereuter, Castle, 
Boehlert, Gibbons, LaHood, Cunningham, Hoekstra, Burr of North 
Carolina, and Chambliss; Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Bishop, Ms. Harman, and 
Messrs. Condit, Roemer, Hastings of Florida, Reyes, Boswell, and 
Peterson of Minnesota.
  From the Committee on Armed Services, for consideration of defense 
tactical intelligence and related activities: Messrs. Stump, Hunter and 
Skelton.
  There was no objection.

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