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Skriven 2004-12-04 23:32:54 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (041204) for Sat, 2004 Dec 4
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President's Radio Address
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For Immediate Release
December 4, 2004

President's Radio Address


˙˙˙˙˙Audio

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Since the attacks of September the 11th, 2001,
American military forces, intelligence officers, and law enforcement
officials have defended our country with skill and honor, and have taken
the fight to terrorists abroad. Here at home, we have created the
Department of Homeland Security, strengthened our defenses, and improved
the collection and analysis of vital intelligence. Yet we must do more.

To protect America, our country needs the best possible intelligence. The
recommendations of the 9/11 Commission chart a clear, sensible path toward
needed reforms to our government's intelligence capabilities. I strongly
support most of those recommendations, and my administration is already
implementing the vast majority of those that can be enacted without a vote
of Congress. In August, I established the National Counterterrorism Center,
where all the available intelligence on terrorist threats is brought
together in one place. Just last month, I issued two directives instructing
the FBI and CIA to hire new personnel, and to press forward with the
transformation of these agencies to meet the threats of our time.

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But other key changes require new laws. For the past few months, I have
been working with the Congress to produce an intelligence reform bill that
will make America more secure. Congress made good progress toward a strong
new law. Provisions have been included to strengthen our ability to arrest
those who aid and train terrorists, to hold dangerous terrorists who are
awaiting trial, and to prosecute those who seek to acquire weapons of mass
destruction.

The most important provisions of any new bill must create a strong, focused
new management structure for our intelligence services and break down the
remaining walls that prevent the timely sharing of vital threat information
among federal agencies and with relevant state, local, and private sector
personnel. Our intelligence efforts need a director of national
intelligence who will oversee all of the foreign and domestic activities of
the intelligence community. The legislation I support preserves the
existing chain of command, and leaves America's 15 intelligence agencies,
organizations, and offices in their current departments. Yet the director
of national intelligence will oversee all of America's intelligence efforts
to help ensure that our government can find and stop terrorists before they
strike. To be effective, this position must have full budget authority over
our intelligence agencies. The many elements of our intelligence community
must function seamlessly, with an overriding mission: to protect America
from attack by terrorists or outlaw regimes.

I will continue to work with the Congress to reach an agreement on this
intelligence bill. I urge members of Congress to act next week so I can
sign these needed reforms into law.

We have made great progress against the terrorists who seek to harm our
nation. We are safer, but we are not yet safe. The enemy is still plotting,
and America must respond with urgency. We must do everything necessary to
confront and defeat the terrorist threat, and that includes intelligence
reform. By remaining focused and determined in these efforts, we will
strengthen the safety of our citizens and defend our nation from harm.

Thank you for listening.

END
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