Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
New Intelligence Center to be Created
Aired June 06, 2002 - 11:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: ... and he will propose taking functions now in eight other cabinet agencies, eight existing agencies, and dozens of other government agencies, and putting them under one new roof.
All the president will say, it's part of new effort to prepare the country for future terrorist attacks, and more importantly, in his view, to try to prevent those attacks. The border patrol, the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency, even the Secret Service, all to become parts of or elements of this new department of homeland security, a new cabinet agency the president says also needs a new intelligence agency within it, an analysis branch to take in intelligence not just from the FBI and the CIA, which with we hear about on Capitol Hill these days, but also from the Coast Guard, and from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and any agency that might have suspicions, clues or tips about potential terrorist activity or threats.
Now, many in Congress have been urging for months that the president make this a cabinet agency. Some I told you so's privately today, as the president and top aides brief congressional leaders on his plan. But initial reaction quite favorable, including complimentary remarks from the House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DICK GEPHARDT (D-MO), MINORITY LEADER: I'm really pleased that what I've heard in the last few hours, that the administration is, apparently, tonight going to announce a new, and I hope it will be bipartisan homeland defense plan. I'm told there is an effort to set up a new Department of Homeland Defense, a cabinet agency, with operational and budget authority, and that's precisely what I think should be done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Again, the president needs Congressional approval of this plan, because it creates a new cabinet agency. It moves functions now in an array of other department under one roof, new airport security proposals, new border security proposals. All of it to be put in this new cabinet agency. Some critics would say the president trying to distract attention from those hearings on Capitol Hill. Administration officials insist this plan has been in the works for months.
The original release date hoped to be -- the target was July, the president releasing tonight urging the country to look forward to embrace these new measures, obviously a lot of attention today on Capitol Hill as well, Daryn, as the Congress looks back on just what the government knew and whether it could have taken additional steps before September 11th.
KAGAN: And on that note, John. Other critics would perhaps also say this is an effort to distract from efforts for an independent investigation, which I understand the White House would really not like to see happen.
KING: The White House firmly opposes the independent investigation. It believes that the main investigation should be conducted by the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, and the president has stated his reason for that. He believes, number one, the country needs to focus on the war on terrorism.
Number, two as it does so, sensitive intelligence information should be kept private in those intelligence committees. This Judiciary Committee hearing under way also, something the administration would prefer not happen. But it is going along.
As you see, the FBI director up there right now, the president tonight, though, we are told, will try to rally the country around this, and if you look at the details, how they are taking agencies out of agencies of existing government departments and moving it around. There has been a great deal of infighting, even within the administration, because of the turf battles, if you will, it is a dramatic reorganization of the government.
The president will make his case tonight. And yes, there will be critics who will question just why he's doing this, or certainly why he's doing it right now?
KAGAN: And also wondering exactly how it's going to actually be implemented. John King at the White House, thank you very much. And you heard John referring the Senate Judiciary Committee holding its hearing today, hearing from FBI director Robert Mueller. Later today, hearing from Coleen Rowley. She's the FBI agent who wrote a scathing letter to director Mueller following the 9-11 attacks, saying that he wasn't forthcoming enough, and talking about criticism of how the agency is operating. We will hear from her just a little bit later.
Right now, they're under a break. The senators have other business to deal with. When those hearing get under way, we will go back live to Capitol Hill.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
