Pelosi Reaction to Obama Nat'l Security Speech
UPDATED with a statement from House Minority Leader John Boehner.
Here is a statement from Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the national security speech President Obama delivered this morning from the National Archives:
"I share President Obama's commitment to protecting the American people while preserving American values. The President offered a sensible, balanced approach to the treatment of detainees and to the handling of state secrets. President Obama pledged to reassert our nation's moral authority and the rule of law consistent with providing maximum security to the American people."President Obama proved again today that being honest with the American people about the threats we face, without resorting to hyperbole and fear mongering, is how responsible leaders conduct themselves in dangerous and difficult times. Congress will continue to work hand-in-hand with the President to provide our military and intelligence services all the tools they need to fight terrorism and to keep the American people safe."
Here is Boehner's reaction to Obama's speech:
"Today the President spoke a great deal about trust, but he did not provide Americans with a clear plan for what to do with these terrorists. What he did make clear is that despite overwhelming opposition from the American people and a bipartisan majority here in Congress, he's moving ahead with either releasing or importing the terrorists currently held at the Guantanamo Bay prison into the United States. With all due respect to the President, this is a pre-9/11 mentality and it will make our nation less safe. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. "It's disappointing that the President dismissed the concerns of the American people and a strong bipartisan majority in Congress about releasing these terrorists or importing them into our local communities. I've supported the President's approach to Afghanistan and Iraq, but on this one I think he's wrong, and most Americans agree. Two weeks ago, Republicans introduced the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act to ensure they won't end up in our communities. This legislation ensures that governors and state legislators must pre-approve the transfer of prisoners into their states. More than 150 Republicans have co-sponsored this bill thus far, and I think the Congress needs to pass it."