Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for yielding.
I want to begin by saying that I really appreciate the way in which our committee operates and has come to present this authorization bill to the floor, but I do want to raise some concerns.
One of the most controversial issues surrounding our national security is the use of the drone program. A number of us tried to introduce some amendments that would be considered on the floor of the House so that we, along with the American people, could have a conversation about that. These amendments were not made in order. And I want to express what my amendment would have done.
It would have prohibited elements of the intelligence community from engaging in so-called signature strikes. That is, lethal strikes in which the target is not specifically identified but whose so-called pattern of life fits the profile, or signature, of a terrorist.
In these situations, we don't know the identity of the target. Instead, we draw conclusions from surveillance about whether someone is affiliated with a terrorist organization, or engaged in terrorist conduct. The stakes are high, and inevitably mistakes will be made. There are reports from human rights organizations in past years that we have already made several grave errors, and innocent lives have been lost as a result.
We need to recognize that each mistake we make in these situations killing innocent people spawns more numerous and more determined adversaries, undermining our mission there in the first place.
How we are perceived abroad matters. Even if some of the strikes reported as mistakes are not mistaken, the fact is that the rest of the world perceives our activities as killing innocent civilians and painting all adult male Muslims in these regions as our enemies.
I understand the targeted use, but I think that we cannot kill our way out of this problem and our way to victory.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source