国会记录：2003年1月15日（参议院）页S319-S320总信息意识维登先生办公室。主席先生，参议院移动到开支法案，我谨简要讨论的修正案我会发行。这是一个修正我在过道两旁的同事讨论。这是一项修正案，将限制总信息意识办公室的范围。这是目前正在执导由退休海军上将约翰·波因德克斯特，前国家安全顾问里根前总统的程序。这是一个提出了一些重要的问题，因为鉴于我国从事无国界对敌人打一场战争，我们显然必须的，作金博宝正规网址为一个国家的9/11恐怖事件已经在我国出现，采取的步骤，不断努力平衡对需要保护我们国家的国家安全我们公民的权利。我担心的是，已经被波因德克斯特先生开发的程序前进没有国会监督，没有明确的责任和准则。这就是为什么我认为这是参议院重要的，因为我们体现了必须打击恐怖主义的同时平衡需要保护我们公民的权利，强调它是一个程序是如何的重要，如该受国会监督和有明确的问责制。在这个特别节目的网站，总的信息意识计划，他们引用拉丁口号：``知识就是力量' - 这是我们大家都同意：跨国威胁的总信息意识需要跟踪的个人和 understanding how they fit in to models. To this end, this office would seek to develop a way to integrate databases into a ``virtual centralized grand database.'' They would be in a position to look at education, travel, and medical records, and develop risk profiles for millions of Americans in the quest to examine questionable conduct and certainly suspicious activity that would generate concern for the safety of the American people. I am of the view the Senate has a special obligation to be vigilant in this area so we do not approve actions or condone actions by this particular office that could compromise the bedrock of this Nation--our Constitution. I sit on the Senate Intelligence Committee. I know it is a difficult job to find and maintain the proper balance between constitutional rights and the need to thoroughly track down every valid lead on terrorism, but I will tell you, Mr. President, I think it is critically important that the Senate have oversight over this program and we make sure there is not a program of what amounts to virtual bloodhounds. We need to make sure there are guidelines and rules so that there has to be, for example, evidence there is activity that could threaten the country before additional intrusive steps are taken and, second, that there are safeguards in place at a time when it is possible, because of modern technology and new databases, to share information very quickly. The fact is much of this information is already being shared in the private sector, and that is why so many Americans are troubled about the prospect of losing privacy. What is of concern to many about the Office of Total Information Awareness is it will take the current policies that threaten the privacy of the American people and magnify those problems, given the fact we have not been informed as to what safeguards and constitutional protections would be in place when this program goes forward. It is time for the Senate to put some reins on this program before it grows exponentially and tips the balance with respect to privacy rights and the need to protect the national security in a fashion that is detrimental to our Nation. Clearly, to fight terrorism, we have to have the confidence of the American people. In doing so, we are protecting their rights. My concern is the Office of Total Information Awareness, as it is constituted today, tips that balance against the procedural safeguards that [[Page S320]] are needed to protect the rights of millions of Americans while fighting terrorism. That is why I will be offering an amendment on the spending bill to limit the scope of the office. That amendment will not prevent those in the administration who support the program to come back at a later date and show why additional threats warrant additional action. It will ensure that as this program is developed in its early days it is done in a fashion that is sensitive, with constitutional protections and safeguards, while still ensuring that our Nation can fight terrorism. I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana. ____________________