In This Section...

Rep. Hoekstra [R-MI2]: Madam Speaker, in the last few days we've received a National Intelligence Estimate, a consensus opinion of the intelligence community that indicates a number of...

Record Text

WE NEED TO FIX THE INTELLIGENCE GAP -- (House of Representatives - July 26, 2007)<p><center><pre>[Page: H8733]

Chair: Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra) is recognized for 5 minutes.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra [R-MI2]: Madam Speaker, in the last few days we've received a National Intelligence Estimate, a consensus opinion of the intelligence community that indicates a number of disturbing things. But as we take a look at the information that came out of the National Intelligence Estimate, perhaps the most important thing that it says is that we are a Nation at heightened risk.

In some ways, al Qaeda has strengthened itself. We're concerned about the situation in Pakistan, where it appears that in parts of Pakistan al Qaeda may now enjoy a safe haven, a safe haven where it can plan, where it can train and prepare to attack the homeland again. We know that that is the true intent of al Qaeda.

In communications that they have recently released, they've outlined their objectives clearly. Number one, they want to defeat the coalition in Iraq. The second step is that they want to destabilize the moderate Muslim regimes in the Middle East. The third step is they want to eliminate the State of Israel. The fourth step is they want to establish the caliphate, northern Africa, southern Europe and Middle East reaching down into Asia. And then they want to establish Sharia law in these areas.

In another part of this recent communication, they indicated that they believe the world is made up of two primary areas: a core, Western Europe and the United States and outlying region, outlying areas; and the Middle East, northern Africa, the parts that make up the caliphate. And what they clearly say is that in today's world, because we have been on the offense, the violence has been in the outlying areas, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern Africa and Iraq. And what they say is they want to move this violence from the outlying regions to the core. What does that mean? They want to move the violence to Europe and to our homeland.

Today, as we face this critical test, today we received a letter from Mike McConnell who is the Director of National Intelligence, building on testimony that the intelligence community provided us in September in 2006, building on information that they gave to us in April, building on a public statement that Mr. McConnell made on May 21 in an op-ed piece in the Washington Post. What does it all say?

Our Nation faces an intelligence gap. Think of it. As we face greater risk and a higher security threat than we've faced perhaps in a long time, we have an intelligence gap, a situation in which our intelligence community every day is missing a significant portion of what we should be getting in order to protect the American people. Not only should we be getting it, but we could be getting it, but we have this intelligence gap because we have a 1970s law called the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that Members on the other side of the aisle refuse, refuse to update and to modify.

The letter goes on, If we are to stay a step ahead of the terrorists and protect the American people, I firmly believe that we need to be able to use our capabilities to collect, now listen to this, to collect foreign intelligence about foreign targets overseas, without requirements imposed by an out-of-the-State, out-of-date FISA statute.

Today, for instance, the statute requires that in a number of important situations that we obtain court orders. We need to obtain court orders to most effectively obtain foreign terrorist communications, and remember, this is about foreign intelligence, about foreign terrorists, who are overseas, and we need to get court orders to intercept those communications.

The letter goes on, Simply put, in a significant number of cases we are in the unfortunate position of having to obtain court orders to effectively collect foreign intelligence about foreign targets located overseas.

Then some say, well, let's just take some of our resources and apply it; we can expedite. Number one, it doesn't solve the problem to prepare these court orders by just putting more people, but to get the right kind of information, to prepare these court orders and get them done in the right way, it would take important analysts and put them in the position of preparing court orders for foreign terrorists and get court orders.

We need to fix this intelligence gap, and we need to do it before we go on recess next week.