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Cornyn: Preparation for Continuity of Government Critical Part of Fight Against Terror
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the subcommittee on the Constitution, addressed a conference Monday hosted by the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institute on ensuring the continuity of congress. Sen. Cornyn made the following statement:"I’d like to extend my congratulations to the commission for their hard work on continuity issues. Their report on the continuity of government was a huge help to this ongoing debate, and I was proud to deliver my congratulations from the Senate floor earlier this year."I was pleased to chair a Judiciary hearing to build on the issues addressed in AEI’s report. I also co-chaired a hearing on presidential succession with Sen. Lott of the Rules Committee, and I look forward to learning more about the commission’s views on that very thorny subject."My office has been working to develop legislation in both area, and we are looking forward to getting that finalized and introduced as soon as possible."I believe this issue deserves more than just token attention. It isn’t something we can put off for another day. It is urgent, and it is a critical part of our fight against terror."It is increasingly clear that our current system providing for the continuity of government in the event of a disaster is inadequate to address the reality of the post-9/11 world. And as unthinkable as another attack of that magnitude may be, we in the legislation branch have to be ready for the worst. We must provide for the stable continuance and functions of the government, despite all possible catastrophes."We must not leave our nation’s citizens without representation, without order, or without defense. We owe it to the American people to ensure that our government remains strong and stable, even in the face of disaster."