FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 14, 2002

SCHUMER OUTRAGED AT DECISION TO EXCLUDE 9/11 COMMISSION FROM HOMELAND SECURITY BILL

Senate previously passed measure in September by vote of 90-8 to include creation of commission in Homeland Security Bill

Commission would provide independent investigation events leading up to and root causes of the attacks on 9/11

US Senator Charles Schumer today expressed outrage at the exclusion of a provision to create an independent commission to study the September 11 terrorist attacks. At a press conference in Washington, Schumer made the following remarks:

"We are here today to discuss an incredibly serious matter. Everyone know that the citizens of New York and the entire nation were victims of a devastating attack on September 11, 2001. It seems silly to even have to remind people. We all remember it. We will never forget it."

"But I am outraged at the decision today to exclude the creation of an independent commission to fully investigate exactly what happened on that day from the Homeland Security bill. It is a slap in the face to the families of those killed in the attacks. It goes against the Senate's vote in September, when we agreed by a margin of 90 to 8 to include the independent commission in the bill. It goes against the expressed wishes of the Bush Administration which, days before the vote, issued a letter supporting the creation of the independent commission. Most importantly, it goes against improving our ability to protect ourselves and making ourselves safer in the future."

"No one should be afraid of the facts. Yet to this day, we have little information on how 19 men armed with box cutters could hurt us so terribly. After other major tragedies in our nation's history – Pearl Harbor and the Kennedy assassination – independent investigations were immediately appointed. It is absolutely wrong that we have not yet moved forward with such a review for 9/11."

"We need a commission to examine the roots of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. We need to ask the hard questions. And the commission must be independent so that we have an objective evaluation of what happened. We owe it to the victims of the attack, to their families of the victims, to ourselves, and to our children so that such a tragedy does not happen again.

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