WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA), ranking member of the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Human Analysis and Counterintelligence, voted May 13 to strengthen U.S. intelligence efforts by increasing the number of counterterrorism positions at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
H.R. 754, the FY 2011 Intelligence Authorization Act, would add several thousand civilian positions in intelligence, increasing the number of analysts who work tirelessly to keep our country safe. The bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support.
“Hiring more counterterrorism analysts will make our country safer and more secure,” said Rep. Thompson. “It was these very counterterrorism analysts that located Osama Bin Laden and are now tracking senior al Qaeda leadership across the globe. By providing more resources for this critical effort, our intelligence community will be able to confront, head on, the threat posed by al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations throughout the world.”
Hiring additional counterterrorism analysts will give our military the tools it needs to continue the transition from a flawed counterinsurgency strategy to a more effective counterterrorism strategy.
This tactical change would significantly reduce our military footprint in countries around the world, while allowing our military and intelligence communities to confront terrorism threats wherever they develop.
A counterterrorism strategy would also allow for a responsible redeployment of our troops out of Afghanistan.
“The Afghanistan war is now the longest running war in United States history,” Rep. Thompson continued. “It’s time to get our troops out of the region and shift to a counterterrorism strategy to fight the war on terror. That’s where the future of our fight against al Qaeda and terrorism lies.”
Last Thursday, Congressman Thompson delivered a floor speech in support of H.R. 754. A full copy of his remarks is available below:
“As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis, and Counterintelligence, I’m pleased we are able to work through our differences to bring a stronger and now bipartisan Intelligence Authorization bill to the floor today. H.R. 754 will support critical U.S. intelligence capabilities by increasing resources for our country’s counterterrorism efforts, while also providing needed flexibility to the Central Intelligence Agency to hire the analysts that it needs.
“Last year, under the leadership of then Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Reyes, President Obama signed the first signed the first intelligence authorization act in 6 years. That bill included a number of long overdue provisions that supported critical U.S. intelligence capabilities, significantly enhanced Congressional oversight, and improved accountability across the entire Intelligence Community. Today's bill builds on that effort and represents an important step forward towards enacting an Intelligence Authorization bill for the second year in a row.
“Unfortunately, the process used to produce this bill was badly flawed, and there weren't proper hearings to get to where we are now, and that's evidenced by the amendments that we're able to get into this bill to bring it up to the position that it's in. However, with the changes made to the classified annex, I believe this authorization will strengthen our national security and is in the best interest of our Intelligence Community.
“Specifically, the additional funds authorized by this bill to hire more counterterrorism analysts will make our country safer and more secure. It was, after all, counterterrorism analysts that located Osama bin Laden after he had disappeared for nearly ten years; and that are now tracking senior al-Qaeda leadership around the globe. By providing more resources to this critical effort, our Intelligence Community will be able to confront head on the threat posed by al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations throughout the world.
“In fact, given the recent success of our counterterrorism effort, this is the strategy we should pursue over our counter-insurgency campaign in Afghanistan, which has not shown the results that Congress expected or that the American people demand. This tactical change would significantly reduce our military footprint in countries around the world, while allowing our military and intelligence assets to confront terrorism threats wherever they’re developed.
“Mr. Speaker, our Intelligence Community must be prepared for any and all threats, making it all the more critical for Congress to pass an Intelligence Authorization that furthers our national security. This legislation is necessary, will enhance the capabilities of the intelligence community, specifically our counterterrorism efforts, and will make our nations safer. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and thank the members of our intelligence community and their families for their great work and their sacrifice.”
Thompson represents California’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and portions of Sonoma and Yolo counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
