Dear Colleague Letter

Join the Bipartisan Coalition Pushing 9-11 Commission Recommendations

"9-11 Commission Caucus" Urges Quick Action on Panel Proposals; Family Steering Committee Publishing Proponents

Dear Colleague:

Please join us as members of the "9-11 Commission Caucus" - a bipartisan group of members who endorse the commission's recommendations and are working for their speedy approval.

The commission report issued 37 recommendations to help prevent future terrorist attacks, including details of a global strategy and government reorganization necessary to implement that strategy. It cited the need to attack terrorists and their organizations; prevent the continued growth of Islamic terrorism; and protect and prepare for terrorist attacks. To implement that strategy, it recommended unifying U.S government efforts by linking intelligence and operational planning in a new National Counterterrorism Center; uniting the intelligence community under a National Intelligence Director; encouraging information sharing among decentralized government networks; and strengthening congressional oversight, and the existing national security workforce.

Congress also conducted our own Joint Inquiry into the events of September 11. Combined with the comprehensive work of the Commission, and the work of the Senate Intelligence Committee, it seems to us we are ably prepared to act in the best interests of the country to better prevent another attack on our homeland.

Last Thursday, we wrote Speaker Hastert and Minority Leader Pelosi to express our support for the work of the commission and to urge the Congress to move forward on the Commission's recommendations on a bipartisan basis as soon as possible. Specifically:

1. It seems to us the Administration can assess with the commission which of the recommendations can be implemented by and Executive Order of the President before September. It seems reasonable Commission staff will work with them to identify these opportunities.

2. House and Senate Committee Chairs, Ranking Members and staff can meet with Commission staff to prepare an omnibus bill on the more urgent, less controversial recommendations not able to be implemented by Executive Order that could be wrapped into a single bill voted on in early September. This process has begun already in the Government Affairs and Government Reform committees.

3. Hearings on the most controversial issues, such as National Director of Intelligence and National Center on Counter-terrorism, should begin as soon as possible to begin building a national consensus. This process has begun.

4. House/Senate leadership staff can begin working on Congressional reforms, to implement proposed changes in January (if not before).

After 20 months of work by the commission, and three years after September 11, there is not a moment to lose in moving forward with the commission's recommendations. We hope you will add your name to the growing bipartisan list of members - being actively promoted by the Family Steering Committee -- who support these general principles and the goal of implementing the report by contacting Ben Chevat or Ed Mills in Congresswoman Maloney's office at 5-7944 or edward.mills@mail.house.gov, or Betsy Hawkings or Miriam Vieregger in Congressman Shays office at 5-5541 or Miriam.vieregger@mail.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Christopher Shays	Carolyn Maloney
Mike Pence	Dutch Ruppersberger
Mike Castle	Jim Cooper
Rob Simmons	Jerry Nadler
Christopher Smith