An "unidentified Republican" is holding up the Intel Authorization Bill

[atommom]

It appears that the sticking point is an amendment that will require the Director of National Intelligence to provide the congressional Intelligence Committee all Presidential daily
briefs, from the beginning of President Clinton's second term in January of 1997 until March 19, 2003, when our troops actually crossed into Iraq on that day, which refer to Iraq or otherwise address Iraq in any way, shape, or form.

Here is Ted Kennedy's statement:

Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I have asked to address the Senate on
a national security matter of great concern to me. I call my
colleagues' attention to the Senate's inexplicable failure to pass the
fiscal year 2006 Intelligence authorization bill.

<[Page S14121>]

The bill was approved and reported by the Intelligence Committee on
September 29, and it has been available for Senate action since
November 16. This legislation is too important to be allowed to
languish in legislative limbo. That is where it is. I am at a loss to
understand why the Senate cannot complete action before we adjourn on a
matter of national security that is this important.
As I understand the current parliamentary situation, the Intelligence
authorization bill cannot be brought up or be passed under unanimous
consent because of Republican objection, and the majority leader has
decided that it does not merit the minimal amount of floor time needed
to approve the bill, which would pass quickly.

I am informed that one or more Republican Senators object to the
inclusion of amendments offered by Democratic Senators even though
Chairman Roberts has accepted those amendments--and those amendments
were agreed to by the full committee. If there is opposition to these
provisions, I urge the majority leader to allow us to bring up the
bill, debate, and vote on the amendments. Our side is willing to agree
to very short time agreements to each of the three amendments.
The unwillingness to consider this bill is more puzzling because of
the bipartisan effort that has gone into the development of this bill.
The Republican objection is preventing us from considering this
critical national security legislation. The Intelligence Committee is,
after all, an exceedingly important committee which is burdened with
heavy responsibilities and which needs to have an authorizing piece of
legislation underneath it. I hope, whatever the objection is, the
majority leader and Senator Roberts can find a way to overcome it
before we finish our business for this session.
The recent revelations related to surveillance and intelligence
collection within the United States and the lack of effective
congressional oversight of that program make passage of this
legislation even more critical. One of the important themes of the bill
is the improvement of oversight, both within the intelligence community
and by Congress itself. That would include the Intelligence Committee,
which needs to be having intelligence oversight hearings on a number of
matters, which it is not now doing. This theme is embodied in several
sections of the legislation--in the classified annex and specifically
amendments offered specifically by Senators Kennedy and Kerry.

More: http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2005_cr/s122005.html

[NoFederales]

1. Congressional Oversight is imperative--this one can't be let go

of; I hope there is no screwing around this effort.

NoFederales

on edit: Why can't someone stick a voting fraud issue into someone's dear bill?

[TayTay]

2. It is also being held up on the Clandestine Prisons Amendment

Two separate amendments _ from Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and John Kerry, D-Mass. _ would require the national intelligence director to provide classified information on secret CIA prisons to congressional intelligence committees. The agency has not acknowledged that the sites exist.

snip

Kerry’s spokeswoman April Boyd noted the Senate already approved his secret prisons amendment on another bill this year. “He would welcome another vote and another strong message from Congress to the administration that they cannot keep Congress in the dark,” she said.

From: Senator Stalls Intelligence Spending Bill
By KATHERINE SHRADER
Associated Press Writer

Source: AP Online All
Date: December 15, 2005

[atommom]

3. kick