Shelley Moore Capito, April 28, 2006

The road to September 11th, as we now know, was paved with mistakes that were made years before that terrible day in 2001. Chief among these errors were the steep cuts in funding for the American intelligence community during the 1990s. This cost America dearly, because in many ways, our intelligence agencies are this country's first line of defense against attacks on our people. Stopping terrorist strikes at home and winning the War on Terror abroad demands an intelligence community that is nimble, aggressive, and properly staffed.

To protect America, earlier this week the House of Representatives passed the Intelligence Authorization Act. This bipartisan legislation bolsters America's human intelligence capabilities, improves our intelligence community's oversight and training, and increases our focus on counterintelligence. History has shown that the intelligence community must have both the wherewithal to "connect the dots" and the agility to take the action that will prevent disaster.

The fact is that reckless, across-the-board cuts in intelligence spending and poor decisions in the 1990s decimated America's ability to gather foreign intelligence. These mistakes resulted in a nearly 30 percent decline in the number of American intelligence officers and a 40 percent decline in U.S. intelligence assets. Recognizing this, the House of Representatives did its part to see to it that we never go down that road again.

The Intelligence Authorization Act would also require more coordination and planning between our intelligence agencies, the military, and Congress to ensure that no vital information falls through the cracks. Rigorous Congressional oversight of the intelligence community is essential to ensure that improvements made since September 11th are actually working, and that adequate resources are always available.

This Act dictates that one way Congress can help is by increasing cooperation between the House Intelligence Committee and the House Armed Services Committee. It is crucial for Congress to always remember that a governments most solemn duty is defending its citizens, and the House-passed bill embodies that principle well.

Americas enemies are cunning, relentless, and they operate in the shadows. Thwarting the plans of those who seek to kill innocent Americans requires proactive, clandestine intelligence gathering. We all owe a great deal to the intelligence professionals who quietly perform this dangerous work with skill and courage every day, all over the world. I want you to know that I am committed to giving these patriots the tools, resources, and authority they need to secure this country.

Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, represents West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, which includes Charleston.