[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 63 (Thursday, May 16, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4469-S4470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      QUIETING TERRORISM RHETORIC

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I did not intend to use my leader time for 
any purpose today other than to honor a true American hero: Ronald 
Reagan. We just had a fantastic ceremony in the Rotunda of the Capitol 
presenting Mrs. Reagan the Congressional Gold Medal for President 
Reagan and for Nancy Reagan. It was a beautiful ceremony attended by 
Republicans and Democrats. I think we all agree that he was an unusual 
President and a great President. He did make us proud again. Democrats 
were there, and they said, while we may not agree with him 
philosophically, we agree that he did a great number of good things 
during his time as President, and I am glad we honored him and Mrs. 
Reagan this afternoon.
  President Reagan lifted our country when we had a lot of despair, 
morale was low, and freedom was kind of under attack. He banished that. 
He rose above it. He made us proud again, and he led the way in getting 
rid of the ``blame America first'' crowd. He said: That is poisoning 
the American spirit; let's not do that.
  Much to my outrage today, I have heard a chorus reminding me of that 
``blame America first'' that I thought President Reagan had helped us 
put on the ash heap of history and get rid of once and for all. I think 
there is nothing more despicable--and that is a tame word compared to 
what I really feel--in American politics than for someone to insinuate 
the President of the United States knew that an attack on our country 
was imminent and did nothing to stop it.
  Now, there is a lot of revisionist history, people insinuating that 
President Roosevelt knew about Pearl Harbor. I do not know all the 
facts of what went on then, but I do not believe that. I would never 
believe that. I have to say, does anybody really think that this 
President, or any President of either party, at any time, would know 
that we were going to be attacked and not take necessary actions to try 
to deal with it? I do not believe the American people really think 
that. I know it is not accurate.
  The President, Members of Congress, the Intelligence Committee, 
leadership, we get threat assessments daily. They come in every day, 
and they get to be pretty depressing if you get to reading them. When 
getting the briefings every day, you have to assess them: Are they 
serious, not serious? Should we take actions? Do we put out a notice? 
What do we do with them?
  I get nervous that we put too much in the press. We tell the 
terrorists, who

[[Page S4470]]

may not have an idea of where we are vulnerable: Oh, by the way, why 
don't you try this?
  Why don't you come after our ports? I worry a tramp steamer will come 
into the Port of Baltimore loaded with explosives and blow half of 
Baltimore away. I worry about my hometown. These are serious threats. 
We have a lot of work to do.
  I have an expectation that we need to ask our law enforcement 
agencies--the INS, the Customs Service, the FBI, the CIA--how did this 
happen? Why didn't we know more? Should we have gone to a higher alert? 
CIA, were you talking to the FBI? We found out we had laws that made it 
hard for that to happen. We have taken action to make sure they hand 
off and communicate and use each other's resources.
  I have no doubt in my mind the FBI needs a lot of reform. I don't 
think they are up to date with technology and other problems. But 
Director Mueller is trying to correct that. Maybe they knew something 
in Phoenix they didn't know in Washington. Is there a way to integrate 
everything?
  A couple of days ago, the Director said we will have a superoffice to 
bring in this information and make sure we look at it all and see if 
there is a pattern.
  I think we should ask questions. We have an Intelligence Committee, 
House and Senate, meeting; Senator Graham, Senator Shelby, and the 
House side will get into this. By the way, I think the FBI and CIA 
should not delay turning over information. They should cooperate. It 
should not be about blaming someone.
  We could say it goes back to the Church Commission in the 1970s. That 
is when we did damage to the intelligence communities. Or it was during 
the Clinton administration. The important thing is not how we get 
there, but what we are going to do. What are we doing about it today? 
What actions do we take to make sure the intelligence information is 
properly accumulated and evaluated and we can take action?
  Someone deserves a medal for the fact we have not been hit again 
since September 11. I have been worried thinking something was going to 
happen. Why hasn't it happened? Because the INS and the Justice 
Department, the FBI, picked up people. They have taken certain threats 
seriously. They picked up mules delivering information. Probably there 
are commendations in order for the last 6 months, but I am worried 
about what will happen next. It could happen tomorrow. Then we will say 
it was the Bush administration, when we need to put more resources into 
it. We need to help our first responders.
  The Intelligence Committee voted to add $1 billion to the 
intelligence funding. We are still exposed. When we have terrorists, 
suicide bombers as in Israel, willing to blow themselves up to kill 
innocent men, women, and children, it is hard to prevent it. When we 
hear the noise and daily threat assessments, it is worse, and we do not 
know which should be taken seriously.
  To talk as if our enemy is George W. Bush instead of Osama bin Laden 
is not right. We get partisan and political sometimes around here 
talking about a delayed bill or stimulus bill, but in the fight against 
terrorism we have risen above that, for the most part.
  Congressman Gephardt said yesterday, this has to be bipartisan, 
nonpartisan. I am disturbed by this attack today that I think is 
uncalled for. It is very malicious in its sound. I hope we will stop 
that. Let's not go down that course. Let's keep the pattern of working 
together. Let's not start impugning the motives of the President of the 
United States.
  Was there anyone here that did not realize we were threatened a year 
ago by the possibility of an airliner being taken hostage? Hijacked? 
Who among us thought they might actually use it as a missile to fly 
into a building? I got a lot of briefings. Is it my fault? Should I 
have known more? We should knock down the rhetoric. Yes, it is a 
political season, an election year. But this is serious. We should not 
be doing this.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.

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