Bush to Renew Intelligence Reform Pressure on Congress(Rummy holding out?)

[maddezmom]

SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) will renew pressure on Congress to reach agreement on intelligence reforms this year, after a weekend deal collapsed in the face of Republican opposition, the White House said on Sunday.



"It remains a high priority for the president. He will continue to talk to congressional leaders about how to get it done as soon as possible," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.


"We remain hopeful that Congress will continue to work to get it done," he said in Santiago, Chile, where Bush was attending a leadership summit hosted by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (news - web sites) forum.


At stake is a plan to overhaul U.S. spy agencies to address weaknesses identified by the bilateral commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, hijack attacks on America.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20041121/pl_nm/security_bush_dc


Intelligence reform snagged by disputes over Pentagon's role

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A massive intelligence reform bill designed to adjust the US intelligence community to the post-September 11 world hit a snag after key congressional ally of the Pentagon (news - web sites) expressed concern about the measure.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert pulled the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 off the floor minutes before a scheduled vote, citing objections voiced by Duncan Hunter, the powerful chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

~snip~

Under the existing system, the National Security Agency, which eavesdrops on electronic communications, the National Reconnaissance Office, a spy satellites operator, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which interprets and analyzes satellite imagery, are managed by the Pentagon.


And Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has repeatedly expressed concern that the proposed reform would hurt rather than help the US national security if it made more difficult to channel fresh intelligence to troops on the ground.


more: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041120/ts_alt_afp/us_attacks_intelligence_041120232106

Lawmakers Say Intelligence Bill Not Dead
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=1278&e=1&u=/ap/20041121/ap_on_go_co/congress_intelligence


All Hastert has to do is put it back on the floor, it has the votes to pass.

[Cocoa]

1. how could Hastert and Hunter dare to do this?

what about Bush's mandate? What about the wolves?

How much political capital will Bush have to expend to get his own party's leaders to pass this bill?

[maddezmom]

2. here's how, I guess...just makes no sense. :(

~snip~
"It is very frustrating to know that you've got the support of the American people, the support of the president, of the speaker of the House, of the Senate, and you can't get a bill," Kean said in a telephone interview. "I'm obviously disappointed."


Hunter and Sensenbrenner were able to block the intelligence measure because they were backed by members of their committees and other House Republicans opposed to the compromise measure. House leaders did not want to risk a floor fight in which a substantial number of Republicans appeared likely to vote against the bill.


The failure to complete the bill embarrassed the congressional Republican leadership, coming just weeks after election victories on Nov. 2 handed them stronger majorities in the House and Senate and gave Bush a second term. The leadership had wanted to present a united front as it prepared to push forward Bush's ambitious legislative agenda in January.


It was a particularly embarrassing setback for Hastert, who had vowed to finish the legislation during the postelection lame-duck session and had spent many hours in negotiations with the Senate to produce a compromise.

~snip~
more:http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=1278&e=3&u=/latimests/20041121/ts_latimes/houseblocksintelligencereformbill

[Cocoa]

3. has Bush said anything publicly about this?

he didn't mention it in his radio address, I don't recall Bush saying a word publicly against Hunter, Hastert or Sensenbrenner.

Will Bush run his "wolves" ad against these rebellious republicans?

If Bush can't stand up to three middle-aged, chubby republicans, how can he stand up to al Qaeda?

[maddezmom]

4. yeah, rub-a-dub-dub...3 boobs in a tub

floating on their own, willing to gamble with a pre-9/11 mindset

[maddezmom]

5. but to answer you ?...not a word. Snotty Scotty his mouthpiece has been

handling all the questions.