Legislative Update from Senator Richard Burr


Last week, I joined 10 other members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in voting to declassify the Detention and Interrogation Report.

Since 2012, I have been deeply concerned about the factual inaccuracies contained within this report, including inaccurate information relating to the details of the interrogation program and other information provided by detainees.  I had hoped that the authors of the report would ensure that the American public was provided facts, not fiction.  I am extremely disappointed in the flawed and biased results of their work.

However, I voted to declassify the report to give the American people the opportunity to make their own judgments.  I am confident that they will agree that a 6,300 page report based on a cold document review, without a single interview of Intelligence Community, Executive Branch, or contract personnel involved, cannot be an accurate representation of any program, let alone this one.

Based on what I have learned as a member of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, I firmly believe that the CIA’s detention program saved lives and played a vital role in ensuring that our nation had the intelligence it needed to successfully combat al-Qa’ida in the days following 9/11 and in the years since that fateful day.

In other news, Wednesday was World Autism Awareness Day, the kick-off to National Autism Month.  I have spoken several times about the importance of doing what we can to support  individuals with disabilities and their families, which is why we must pass the ABLE Act.  The ABLE Act, introduced by Senator Casey and myself, would allow families with disabled children, including those with autism, to save using a 529 college savings account to prepare for their child’s lifetime of expenses.  Read more here.

Also important to Americans’ health is the tax on lifesaving medical devices, a policy which makes no sense if we are trying to make health care more affordable.  During a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee, I explained why this wrongheaded policy directly affects Americans’ health and quality of life.  You can watch by clicking the video above or visiting my Youtube page.

Finally, tomorrow our nation celebrates “Gold Star Wives Day.”  This day provides an opportunity to honor the members of Gold Star Wives of America, a volunteer organization that has assisted widows and survivors of fallen military members since it was founded in 1945, and thank them for their untiring efforts.  Members of Gold Star Wives, both women and men, have lost someone extremely important to them in service to our country, yet they still have compassion to serve others.  Our nation owes these individuals and families a huge debt of gratitude, so I ask that you honor any “Gold Star Wives” you may know tomorrow and thank them for their patriotism, service, and sacrifice.  To learn more about the Gold Star Wives of America, please visit their website here.

        Sincerely,

        Richard Burr