SCHAKOWSKY REACTS TO PRESIDENT BUSHS ANNOUNCEMENT ON NAMING COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE PRE-WAR INTELLIGENCE IN IRAQ

February 2, 2004

SCHAKOWSKY REACTS TO PRESIDENT BUSH'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON NAMING COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE
PRE-WAR INTELLIGENCE IN IRAQ

CHICAGO, IL - U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky issued the following statement in reaction to President Bush's announcement today about naming a commission to investigate pre-war intelligence in Iraq.

"Unable to continue to resist mounting pressure to answer truthfully why the United States went to war, President Bush was forced to act. Unfortunately, President Bush's response is completely inadequate. What is required is an independent commission created by Congress, not by the White House political machine.

"The White House is currently stonewalling the bipartisan 9/11 Commission by refusing to provide documents, so how can the American people trust President Bush's proposed commission, all of whose members would be appointed by him?

"As important as investigating intelligence failure is a complete independent review of the way the White House used that information and the likelihood that they cherry-picked and manipulated that intelligence to justify a war with Iraq."

Schakowsky is a cosponsor of H.R. 2625, legislation authored by U.S. Representative Henry Waxman, to create an independent commission - modeled after the September 11 Commission. The Commission would examine the intelligence about Iraq, representations made by executive branch officials about this intelligence, and whether the Bush Administration distorted evidence about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.