Carper Urges President to Pressure Congress on Intelligence Reform

WASHINGTON, DC (Nov. 22, 2004) – Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., today expressed disappointment that Congress failed to pass a bipartisan intelligence reform bill before adjourning over the weekend. He urged President Bush, who late yesterday said that he would work with Congress to finish the bill before the end of the year, to lobby aggressively for the compromise, which would create a strong national intelligence director to coordinate our nation’s spy network. The compromise has been endorsed by the 9-11 Commission. The following is a statement from Sen. Carper: “I was disappointed that Congress was unable to get a bipartisan intelligence reform bill passed before leaving town for Thanksgiving. It will be an even greater tragedy if we miss yet another opportunity to pass this bill in December. The president has said he wants an intelligence reform bill and that he would work with Congress to enact one this year. I strongly urge him to put some muscle behind those words and lobby aggressively to get this bill done. We have a good, bipartisan compromise before us, and it deserves to become law.”