Lofgren Votes to Implement 9/11 Commission Recommendations

Bill Includes Provision to Improve Critical Infrastructure List

Media Contact: Kyra Jennings, 202.225.3072, kyra.jennings@mail.house.gov

Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose ) voted yesterday to pass H.R. 1, implementing the unfulfilled recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission in order to improve homeland security, prevent terrorists from acquiring WMD, and develop strategies for preventing the spread of terrorism.

Rep. Lofgren also acted as presiding officer on the House Floor during the debate and vote on H.Res. 35, a resolution that addressed the 9/11 Commission's recommendation on intelligence oversight reform by creating a Select Intelligence Oversight Panel within the House Appropriations Committee, which will be made up of members from both the Appropriations Committee and the Intelligence Committee.

“After my four years serving on the House Committee on Homeland Security, I am gratified to see the House vote to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission as our first vote during the 100 Legislative Hours,” said Rep. Lofgren. “For too long the Republican Congress has received failing grades on implementation of these recommendations and I have called for improvement. Today’s vote is an important step towards making our country safer and more secure.”

Rep. Lofgren was involved in drafting a provision in H.R. 1 to create a National Asset Database Consortium. This consortium will be made up of national laboratories and the heads of other federal agencies and will advise the Secretary of Homeland Security on the best way to identify, generate, organize and maintain the National Asset Database and the National At-Risk Database, which lists the infrastructure most at-risk to terrorist attacks.

“Since its creation, I have been concerned about the lack of success in the creation and maintenance of the National Asset Database and critical infrastructure list,” said Rep. Lofgren. “This provision of H.R. 1 allows the national labs to take over mapping of the nation’s critical infrastructure, and may finally permit real infrastructure to be included instead of miniature golf courses and popcorn plants.”