国会记录:2003年1月15日(参议院)页S319-S320总信息意识办公室WYDEN先生。总统先生，在参议院着手审议开支法案之际，我想简单讨论一下我提出的一项修正案。这是我与两党同事讨论过的一项修正案。这是一项修正案，将限制全面信息意识办公室的范围。该项目目前由退役海军上将约翰·波因德克斯特(John Poindexter)指导，他曾是前总统里根(Reagan)的国家安全顾问。它引起了自9/ 11恐怖事件以来在我国产生的一些重要问题。乐动冠军鉴于我们的国家正在进行一场没有边界的对抗敌人的战争，显然，作为一个国家，我们必须采取步骤，不断努力平衡我们公民的权利和保护我们国家安全的需要。我担心的是，波因德克斯特先生制定的这个计划将在没有国会监督、没有明确问责制和指导方针的情况下继续下去。这就是为什么我认为这是重要的参议院,我们反思需要打击恐怖主义,同时平衡需要保护我们公民的权利,强调这是一个多么重要项目这样受国会监督,有明确的责任。在这个名为“全面信息意识项目”的网站上，他们引用了一句拉丁口号:“知识就是力量”——这是我们都同意的:对跨国威胁的全面信息意识需要跟踪个人并了解他们如何适应模型。 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. ____________________