House Democrats will introduce legislation today that they say will protect Americans from terrorism — and make sure the White House does the same.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., briefed the media Monday, saying the legislation will require all cargo coming into the nation’s ports be checked for radiation, appropriate anti-terrorism money to cities and states based on the risk they face, and consolidate operational and budgetary control over U.S. intelligence agencies so that Congress can have a greater say in how the nation defends itself.
“It will provide the budget oversight necessary — real oversight,” Pelosi said.
The speaker was flanked by 9/11 commissioners Lee Hamilton and Timothy Roemer, House Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey, D-Wis., House Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., and freshman U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.
Throughout last fall’s campaign, Democrats blasted Republicans for ignoring the bipartisan 9/11 Commission’s recommendations. The Republicans have said that many of the commission’s recommendations already had been put into place before the commission finished its work.
The legislation does not have a price tag; it leaves funding up to the appropriations committee.
Its key element is the consolidation of the appropriations and budget committees into a unified task force, similar to the joint committees on taxation. Under the legislation, the new task force will be required to submit an annual report on intelligence agencies.
“The intelligence community itself has had a great tendency to ignore the authorizing committee, the policy committee, because they don’t provide the money,” Obey said. “And, as you know, the people in this town like to follow the money.”
The Democrats have promised to take an aggressive line with the White House to reassert Congressional control over government.
White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said President Bush was willing to work with the new Congress but was waiting to see what form the legislation takes.
“We want to see what they put together,” Stanzel said. “We look forward to working with Congress.”
