[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 29, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H4918]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       THE RELEASING OF INTERROGATION MEMOS HAS MADE US LESS SAFE

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Madam Speaker, the selective release of memos on the 
enhanced interrogation methods of the previous administration has made 
us less safe.
  Four former CIA Directors, as well as the current Director, advised 
against releasing these memos.
  As ex-CIA Director Michael Hayden recently said, ``If you look at 
these documents that have been made public, it says `Top Secret' at the 
top. The definition of `Top Secret' is information which, if revealed, 
would cause grave harm to the United States' security.'' Furthermore, 
General Hayden said that the use of these interrogation techniques 
against these terrorists made us safe.
  The release of the top secret memos were motivated by politics, pure 
and simple. They were designed to embarrass, not to protect. So much 
for President Obama's promise to look forward, not backward. These 
memos never should have been released.
  As another former CIA Director, Porter Goss, recently wrote, ``We 
can't have a secret intelligence service if we keep giving away all the 
secrets.''

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