(Washington, D.C.)–Congressmen Patrick Kennedy and Jim Langevin today expressed their disappointment with the Republican House Leadership's approach to implementing the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission.  They charged GOP leaders with playing politics with critical national security issues and urged a quick vote on legislation mirroring a pending Senate measure sponsored by Senators Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman, which has broad support. 

Both Kennedy and Langevin support legislation currently under consideration in the Senate that has been endorsed by the 9/11 Commission, family members of 9/11 victims and the Bush Administration.  Both members are co-sponsors of H.R. 5150, sponsored by Representatives Chris Shays and Carolyn Maloney, which is companion legislation to the Collins/Lieberman bill that is expected to pass easily.  Kennedy and Langevin are concerned that significant substantive differences between the Senate bill and the House Leadership's legislation will leave the nation without crucial new guidelines for improving intelligence operations, fighting terror and rebuilding international diplomacy and alliances.

"The 9/11 Commission engaged in an exhaustive, lengthy process in order to come up with the best possible set of recommendations on how we can protect ourselves from another attack on our homeland," said Kennedy.  "Now we find the House Republican leadership engaged in political horseplay on this critical issue.  Rather than moving on the strong, bi-partisan legislation proposed in the Senate--which has garnered the endorsement of the 9/11 Commission--they have put together their own bill which includes all sorts of controversial, extraneous provisions which the Commissioners themselves say are not appropriate for this legislation.  The American people are rightly calling on Congress to stop playing politics with this and pass the 9/11 Commission's recommendations.  I hope the Republican leadership will come to their senses and do just that."

“Americans deserve better when it comes to their safety than divisiveness and delay,” said Congressman Jim Langevin, a member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security and the House Armed Services Committee.  “The 9/11 Commission has provided us with a comprehensive set of recommendations and the Senate has acted quickly to bring up legislation to implement them.  We need a bipartisan, bicameral approach to this most important issue, and I urge the House Leadership, in the strongest possible terms, to allow an up or down vote on this bill.  It's time to put politics aside and legislate in the best interests of the American people.”

 The measure sponsored by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, while addressing many of the 9/11 Commission's suggestions, fails to implement all of its recommendations and includes many controversial provisions not included in the 9/11 report.  President Bush and the 9/11 Commission have endorsed the Senate approach and urged House leaders to drop provisions of their bill that could lead to further division and delay implementation of needed reforms.

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