Terrorism and National Security
The attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, united our country as we confronted the international security challenge posed by extremist Islamic groups like al-Qaida. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I am firmly committed to ensuring that our military and intelligence communities have the tools, technology and resources they need to guard our nation, defeat our enemies and support our allies. I am equally committed to ensuring that we enact tough but smart policies that protect constitutional freedoms while keeping Americans safe.
In February 2011, I partnered with the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (The CELL) in Denver to host a national security forum, where I laid out many of my principles on these issues. I was joined by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral James “Sandy” Winnefeld, former Ambassador to Iraq and Korea Christopher Hill, and former Presidential Homeland Security Advisor Kenneth Wainstein for a robust conversation about the challenges and threats facing the United States. The Associated Press reported on the productive discussion we had HERE, and you can watch a video of the event, Emerging Threats to U.S. National Security: From Iran to Global Terrorism, HERE:
We have learned two important lessons in recent years, both at far too dear a cost. First, we can't afford to ignore the threat of religious extremism abroad. And second, aggressive military action won't fully deter the threat of terrorism at home. We must be both smart and tough as we engage with our allies and adversaries. We can reach both goals with a strong military, robust diplomacy, and strategic alliances. As we have seen from the uprisings in the Middle East and north Africa, every situation is unique, and the United States cannot afford to adopt a ‘one-size fits all’ mindset when dealing with complex international issues.
Finally, it has become clear we cannot effectively project strength abroad if we’re economically weak at home. If we want to maintain the United States’ role as a global leader, it is absolutely essential that we bring our debt and deficit under control. That’s why I remain a strong supporter of the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles deficit-reduction commission’s recommendations for reducing our debt and restoring the United States’ economic strength. There should be no higher priority for this Congress than crafting a balanced, comprehensive and bipartisan deficit-reduction plan along the lines of Simpson-Bowles. To do anything short of a long-term grand bargain is unacceptable and only sets us back into the old ruts of impasse that created the problem in the first place. Coloradans deserve better.
Keeping America safe in our post-9/11 world will require us to rise above the partisan attacks of recent years and come up with comprehensive, tough and intelligent solutions to our national security vulnerabilities. Homeland security is as important in our state as it is in border states and communities – which was reinforced in 2010 when law enforcement agents arrested terrorism suspects in Colorado. The cooperation it took to apprehend these suspects underscores the importance of federal and local governments working together to defend our communities. I am optimistic we can meet new and existing threats, and I look forward to continuing this difficult and urgent work. As I do, I will always keep in mind what is right for Colorado and our nation. Count on me to use my constitutional power of oversight to look closely at the administration's national and homeland security policies and their implementation, and to represent your voices in Washington, D.C.
Press Coverage Regarding Senator Udall's Work on National Security:
- A dishonest defense of detaining U.S. citizens
Editorial, The Denver Post - Udall right to question Patriot Act provisions
Editorial, The Denver Post
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Military shouldn’t be over a barrel on fuel
Read the op-ed I wrote in Stars and Stripes on the importance of securing our energy future and improving our national security by investing in the military's use and development of alternative-fuel technology.
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Supporting Navy Alternative Energy Research
I led a letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus expressing strong support for the Navy’s efforts to develop and employ alternative energy technologies. A total of 18 Senators, including myself, signed the letter. The letter states that research and development of new technologies has long been critical to maintaining America’s strategic advantage. We strongly believe that new energy development will save lives and money while creating new jobs and reducing American dependence on foreign oil.
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Supporting Veterans Exposed to Hazardous Chemicals
On Nov. 3, 2011, I co-sponsored Senator Tom Udall's bipartisan Open Burn Pit Registry Act (S.1798) because our service members overseas are too frequently exposed to toxic fumes and chemicals from burn pits used to incinerate trash including human waste, plastic, batteries, scrap metals, solvents, and other potentially hazardous materials. We must do more to track and identify those exposed to hazardous chemicals from burn pits, to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to better understand and treat the threat posed by exposure to these fumes. Our servicemen and women put their lives on the line for our safety, and in return we have promised to provide them with the best possible care. I will always fight to protect and promote the health of our men and women in uniform.
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Visiting the Front Lines
In October 2011, I made my fourth trip as a Senator to Afghanistan and Pakistan to gain firsthand knowledge of front-line military operations, diplomatic efforts and operations against insurgent groups. When I returned, I authored an op-ed for the Steamboat Pilot about the future of the region.
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Correcting Misleading Statements about Secret Laws
I firmly believe that terrorism is a serious threat to the United States. As a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees, much of my attention is centered on keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad. However, while I believe that our intelligence practices should be kept secret, I do not believe that the government’s official interpretation of these laws should also be kept secret. Without publicly available information about the government’s understanding of its authorities, the risk of the public being misled or misinformed is increased. I sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asking him to clarify statements made by a Department of Justice spokesman that I think may be misleading to many members of the public. I will continue to fight to see that the administration is not using secret interpretations of the PATRIOT Act to subvert our constitutional rights.