You are on page 1of 2

NOV.19.2003 12:31PM NO.251 P.

2/10
,0

Thomas H. Kean November 17,2003


CHAIR

Lee H. Hamilton
VICE CHAIR The Honorable Steven I. Cooper
Chief Information Officer
Richard Ben-Veniste
Department of Homeland Security
Max Cleland Naval Security Station
Nebraska and Massachusetts Avenues, NW
Fred f. Fielding Washington, DC 20393
Jamie S. Gorelick
Dear Mr, Cooper:
Slade Gorton

John F. Lehman
As you know, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United
States (better known as the 9-11 Commission) is directed by statute to prepare a
TLmotHyJ. Roemer full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11,
2001 terrorist attacks, including the nation's preparedness for, and immediate
James R- Thompson
response to, the attacks. The Commission is also chartered to identify and
evaluate lessons learned and provide recommendations to prevent future acts of
Philip D. Zelikow terrorism upon our nation.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Public Law 107-306 authorizes the Commission to secure needed information


directly from any agency. Thus far, the Commission has compiled an extensive
written record numbering more than 2 million pages. Building on this record,
meetings with senior policymakers are essential to developing an authoritative
narrative of the September 11,2001 attacks. Your perspective is vital to the
Commission's understanding of homeland security issues, and we are therefore
writing to request an interview with you during the week of December 1,2003,

The Commission wishes to discuss a wide range of topics with you, including (but
not limited to) your description, analysis, and assessment of:
»
• The nation's homeland security strategy, the implementation of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002, and the establishment of the Department of Homeland
Security.

• The status of Department efforts focused on integrating new and existing


sources of essential homeland security information.

• The legal, policy, and technological issues affecting the collection, processing,
analysis, and dissemination of counterterrorism information, including
watchlisting information, within DHS.

301 7* Street SW, Suite 5125 26 Federal Plaza


Washington, DC 20407 Suite 13-100
T 202.331.4060 f 202.296,5545 New York, NY 10278
www.9-11 commission.f ov T 212.264.1505 "212.264-1595
3 12:31PM ' NO.251 P.3/10

The Honorable Steven I. Cooper


November 17, 2003
Page 2

• The legal, policy, and technological issues affecting the sharing of


counterterrorism information among DHS and other entities (including
federal, state, and local government agencies, and the private and public
sectors).

• Cooperation among the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of


Defense, the Department of State, the Department of Justice, the Central
Intelligence Agency, and foreign government agencies on developing
enterprise architectures for homeland security information.

• The role of the DHS Chief Information Officer with respect to the operations
of the Terrorist Threat Integration Center.

• The role of the Office of Homeland Security in the development and


coordination of homeland security policy, procedures, and programs.

You may wish to review notes and other documents to refresh your recollection of
these matters prior to the interview.

We are, of course, interested in any other issues you deem relevant to the
Commission's understanding of 9-11 specifically and national security, intelligence,
and homeland security issues generally, as well as your thoughts on policy
recommendations for the future. Members of the Commission may attend, but the
interview will be conducted by Commission staff. It is the general policy of the
Commission to record interviews.

This proposed meeting is separate from your requested participation in a public


hearing to be held in Washington, DC, on January 26-27, 2004. You will receive
a separate invitation to testify in tiie coming weeks, and we hope that you will
agree to appear before the Commission for this important public forum.

Please have a member of your staff contact Joanne Accolla at (202) 401 -1774 to
indicate your availability for such an interview and to relay any questions you or
your staff may have. Thank you in advance for your time and cooperation with
the Commission and its staff in this important matter.

Sincerely,

Philip Zelikow
Executive Director

cc: Daniel Levin, Department of Justice


John Mitnick, Department of Homeland Security

You might also like