With regard to Mr. MacKenzie's point, the problem is, Mr. MacKenzie, that we've had major failures with respect to oversight of security intelligence in this country. The reality is that the most pressing recommendations that have flowed out of report after report, whether in the report by O'Connor, the conclusions of Iacobucci, or the recommendations made by this committee, by Mr. Kennedy, or, for that matter by Mr. Major, who just finished his report, have all dealt with oversight and the fact that in this country we lack sufficient oversight of our security and intelligence activities.
The concern I have with not having a robust review mechanism, which happens frequently, is that when we haven't put into place any of these measures to provide oversight, really we risk having more major problems. Having a regular review mechanism, in light of the fact that there has been no action taken on oversight, I think is incredibly reasonable and measured.
I'll be clear here today. Even with a robust review mechanism--something we're suggesting in the amendments we have here today--I have serious problems with this bill. We have to have a discussion as to whether or not these amendments would even be sufficient to allow support of this bill when we get to third reading. That's a debate that's still ongoing. We have to watch and see what happens with these amendments here today.
In the absence of these mechanisms, I think all of us should have real concern, because at least this puts some heat on the government to act on the elements of oversight that have not been acted on, and to say that if these measures were to pass, at the very least we could review them in two years to see if any of the other recommendations with respect to oversight had been enacted.