    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 38 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
    [Pages 1646-1647]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks on Senate Action on the ``Military Commissions Act of 2006'' in
    Orlando, Florida

    September 21, 2006

        I want to thank the Members of the United States Senate for working
    with my administration to meet our top legislative priority, and that is
    a law that will help us crack the terror network and to save American
    lives.

        I had a single test for the pending legislation, and that's this:
    Would the CIA operators tell me whether they could go forward with the
    program, that is a program to question detainees to be able to get
    information to protect the American people? I'm pleased to say that this
    agreement preserves the most single--most potent tool we have in
    protecting America and foiling terrorist attacks, and that is the CIA
    program to question the world's most dangerous terrorists and to get
    their secrets.

        The measure also creates military commissions that will bring these
    ruthless killers to justice. In short, the agreement clears the way to
    do what the American people expect us to do, to capture terrorists, to
    detain terrorists, to question terrorists, and then to try them. I hope
    the Congress will send me legislation before it wraps up their business
    next week.

        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 5:04 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando. In
    his remarks, he referred to S. 3930. The Office of the Press Secretary
    also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.

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