Hoyer Delivers Remarks at Presentation on Counterterrorism and Foreign Operations

ST. MARY'S CITY, MD – This afternoon, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) delivered remarks at an event on U.S. legal issues in counterterrorism and foreign operations and introduced guest speaker Jane Harman, Director, President and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

"In the decade since the September 11th attacks, we have made significant progress on securing our ports, airports, and borders, improving the way we collect and share intelligence, and eroding al-Qaeda's capability to act around the world.

"However, as the title of this afternoon's talk demonstrates, lawmakers still struggle with the challenges posed by those attacks and how we can most effectively combat terrorism. 

"One challenge is how to bring terror suspects to justice without jeopardizing national security or compromising our intelligence gathering efforts.

"Another is how best to balance the need for effective law enforcement while protecting and upholding civil rights.

"There are few as qualified to analyze these challenges than our speaker today, an individual with whom I was privileged to serve in Congress for sixteen years. 

"Jane Harman served as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security. She was a leading voice in Congress on counterterrorism and the legal issues behind surveillance and prosecution.

"Jane holds a law degree from Harvard and was Phi Beta Kappa at Smith College. She was first elected to Congress from California's 36th District in 1992 and was reelected three more times before she left the House in 1998 to run for Governor. Jane returned to Congress in 2001 and retired after a further decade of service. 

"Since then, she has served as the Director, President, and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a think-tank within the Smithsonian Institution that serves as a living memorial to our only president to have held a Ph.D.

"We are all grateful to have her here with us today in Southern Maryland to talk about the challenges we continue to face in adapting our legal institutions and procedures to the post-9/11 security environment."