When we first proposed the office, part of its function was intelligence gathering. This being before the committee, we think it would be a good complement. It allows you to reach out, as you've heard, to non-governmental organizations more effectively, and it would be more activist in its outlook because it is independent. It is able to push the envelope, putting out recommendations that may take a few years to gather steam, but at least they're getting out in the public domain. This is a function that could be either within an office...but you lose certain advantages to that.
On February 6th, 2007. See this statement in context.