U.S. Congressman Porter J. Goss Key Lawmaker Presses For Reformed U.S. Intelligence Program by John Shaw Porter J. Goss, the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, is one of the most important members of Congress youíve probably never heard of. Forceful, energetic and articulate, Goss has also kept a studiously low profile during the five years he has presided over the House intelligence panel. But the Florida congressman has begun to speak out more publicly since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. He has defended the intelligence community from what he views as unfair criticism for failing to predict the attacks on Washington and New York. And he has pressed for more money for intelligence programs and for sweeping changes in how the United States organizes its intelligence activities. ìI think the events of Sept. 11 are a real benchmark,î Goss said in an interview in his office at the Cannon Building. ìThey have created a realization that the drift that has been in place since the end of the Cold War is not going to work for civilized societies. We sort of had our head yanked by the hair on Sept. 11. But these events are part of a trend that we were studiously trying to avoidówhich is a euphemism for calculated neglectóduring a time of amazing prosperity during the last decade,î he said. ìWe canít be perpetually on vacation. We need to pay attention on how we will accommodate our role in the world. Sept. 11th galvanized us into making clear about how we are going to conduct ourselves around the world. This is a very tall order, and weíre obviously not ready,î he added. Goss bristles at the charges leveled by some foreign policy analysts and lawmakers that the Sept. 11 attacks should be viewed primarily as an intelligence debacle. ìThis was not an intelligence failure. There were a lot of warnings from the intelligence community. There was not specificity in terms of times and dates. But there were plenty of warnings that a shoe was about to drop,î he said. Goss said the attacks highlighted one glaring weakness in the American security apparatus: the disconnect between intelligence and law enforcement. ìWe need to identify why the mountains of information the intelligence community creates is not more effectively used by the law enforcement agencies, the management agencies, the regulatory agencies,î he said. ìThat hand-off between intelligence and law enforcement is where we have a long way to go. Itís partially a cultural thing. We donít want Big Brother looking into our private lives. On the other hand we want to be safe. These appear to be in conflict but really arenít if we organize our capabilities a little differently, understand the threats a little better, and are willing to be a little less absurd about the new rights we are creating about every 15 minutes in this city,î he said. The United States spends about $30 billion a year on intelligence programs. The exact number is classified. American intelligence operations are spread among 13 departments and agencies. The director of Central Intelligence nominally oversees the entire intelligence community but has direct authority only over the Central Intelligence Agency. Goss is sharply critical of the Clinton administration for not pushing harder to upgrade and adequately fund American intelligence operations. ìThe last administration was not fully engaged with intelligence. That isnít a partisan comment. Thatís a fact. It was a calculation they made, and there were consequences. They simply didnít pay enough attention to the threats out there. It wasnít a big enough deal for them,î he said. ìWe were just very, very slow to understand these new threats as a nation. The professionals understood it, but they werenít successful in getting the attention of the nationís leaders in the 1990s,î he added. As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Goss has pressed to overhaul the American intelligence system. He said there are four specific areas that need careful attention. First, he said it is crucial to revitalize the National Security Agency so that it has the ability to collect and exploit electronic signals in a rapidly changing communications climate. The NSA is the sprawling eavesdropping agency within the Defense Department that is responsible for signals of intelligence. Second, Goss said it is necessary to improve the nationís ability to understand and analyze the massive amount of information that is collected. He said the portion of the intelligence budget devoted to processing and analysis has been declining sharply since 1990. As a result, even though the intelligence collection systems are becoming more capable, the investment in analysis continues to decline. Third, he noted that a strong research and development program is essential to support other initiatives and ensure that the United States has ìcutting edgeî intelligence technologies. Finally, Goss said that a renewed effort must be made to recruit intelligence agents to gather crucial information on the ground. He said too little emphasis has been placed on human intelligence. ìWe need more spies,î he said bluntly. Goss said he wants to use his panel to scrutinize American intelligence programs and make sure they are running smoothly, effectively and appropriately. ìOur job is to make sure intelligence is behaving properly in our country,î he said. Goss said he also wants to use his panel to press for more funds for American intelligence. ìIt is amazing how important intelligence is and how little it is valued in our reward system. It is by far our best investment in national security. Sweeping up after a disaster means you didnít do it right,î he said. Goss, 63, brings a compelling life story to his work in Congress. The son of a wealthy Connecticut industrial family, Goss became interested in intelligence while studying at Yale University. After graduating from Yale, he spent two years in the Army and then became a CIA clandestine services agent. He served in the CIA for a decade and developed a passionate commitment to the agency and to the intelligence profession. He vividly described his entrance interview with then-CIA chief Alan Dulles in the early 1960s and recalled the spirit of that time. He left the CIA in 1971 after a serious illness, moved to Florida, and founded a weekly newspaper with two other former CIA agents. He amassed a fortune as a publisher and investor. Goss became involved in local politics and eventually ran for and won a House seat in 1988 in the Florida 14th congressional district, which includes Fort Myers and Naples. He is a conservative, independent Republican who is respected for his direct, no-nonsense demeanor. He has been a member of the House Intelligence Committee since 1995 and became its chairman in 1997. He was a member of the Commission on the Roles and Capabilities of the United States Intelligence Community, a temporary panel that issued a comprehensive report on the future of American intelligence. Goss also led efforts to study the CIA and 12 other departments and agencies that form the U.S. intelligence community. He oversaw a separate effort to improve the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, which handles dissemination of satellite and air reconnaissance imagery. He was also a member of a special House panel in 1998 that explored the sale of American technology to China. He speaks almost daily with CIA director George J. Tenet and meets regularly with President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. But Goss keeps a low public profile. ìI can be much more helpful flying under the radar tha n by being at the head of the parade. I will speak when I think it helps the communityís mission to be understood as a critically vital part of our national security. Iím very proud of the intelligence community. Itís a wonderful resource that has protected our country,î he said. ìMy strategy is to build as big a constituency as we can to understand and support a strong intelligence capability for this country. I want the committee to reach out as much as we can and educate people. Iím out there trying to persuade people that intelligence is a wonderful investment of taxpayerís dollars, and we can provide necessary watchdog services over it so this doesnít get out of control,î he added. Some critics say Goss is too close to the intelligence community and is unable to objectively assess its weaknesses. Goss disputes this criticism. He said he is confident the intelligence community understands the world has changed and that a new breed of terrorist poses serious challenges. ìThey clearly understand the nature of the threat has changed. This is not the plains of Poland we are talking about or tactical skirmishing with the Warsaw Pact. Weíre dealing with a global insidious bunch of mischief makers,î he said. Goss said intelligence will be crucial to defending American interests in the future. ìThe intelligence business is a dangerous business. It can be a very dirty business. Itís an amazingly tough business. It requires huge discipline and a great deal of common sense,î he said. Goss, who is often mentioned as a future CIA director, said the current battle against al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations is hugely important and strong intelligence will be critical. ìThe war on terrorism will be won through the acquisition of specific, accurate and timely intelligence,î he said ìOverall this will be a great test of us to see if we have the staying power, the patience to wage the kind of war that President Bush has authorized. It will be a long war and a lot of it you wonít see. Itís a dirty war. It will be in back alleys. It will require that all kinds of things happen differently.î John Shaw is a contributing writer for The Washington Diplomat.