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October 03, 2013

Rep. Schiff Floor Speech on Impact of Government Shutdown on Intelligence Community

Washington, DC –Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), a member of both the Intelligence Committee and Appropriations Committee, spoke about the harmful effects that the government shutdown has had on the Intelligence Community, and urged the House Majority to pass a clean funding bill with no extraneous riders:

“As we approach the end of the first week of the GOP shutdown, I want to highlight the impact it is having on just on sector of our government – the intelligence community.  As DNI Clapper and NSA Director Alexander made clear in testimony in the Senate yesterday, 70 percent of these key analysts have been forced to leave their posts.  This is irresponsible, tragic, and, most painfully – completely avoidable.

“House Republicans now say they will put up a bill funding veterans, but not the intelligence agencies.  Or tomorrow, the intelligence agencies, but not the FBI.  Or the FBI, but not the Department of Homeland Security.  Or DHS and the NIH, but not the Department of Justice.  This is ridiculous, senseless and reckless. 

“Let’s be honest about what the House leadership is really saying – we will choose, hostage by hostage, which agency of the government we will release.  We will do so only to buy time until the ransom we want we get – the repeal of an unrelated health care reform.

“As our intelligence analysts and other key personnel sit idle, our adversaries do not.  Those who threaten the country have not been furloughed.  Those devising new ways to attack our homeland, our allies and innocent civilians around the world are not on hiatus.  They are working hard, and so must we.

“End the reckless shutdown now.  Put the intelligence agencies back to work; put all Americans back to work.  End the endless series of man-made, avoidable and irresponsible crises that threaten our country and our economic recovery.”

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