Rep. Porter J. Goss (R-FL) |
Porter first came to Congress in 1989, and now he finds himself leading the effort to revitalize the nations intelligence network to better meet the terrorist threat by strengthening our human intelligence and analytical capabilities. As Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Porter was at the center of events in the Congressional investigation surrounding the September 11th terror attacks, spearheading the investigation on possible intelligence-gathering failures prior to the attacks. Porter ran for Congress dedicated to representing the concerns of the people of Southwest Florida and to changing the way Washington works. His efforts have focused on these legislative areas: veterans, the environment, health care and national security. Hes fought to make sure our tax dollars are spent wisely, and pursued common-sense solutions to eliminate waste and streamline government bureaucracy. A Florida resident for over 30 years, Porter understands the importance of the states natural resources and works hard to protect them. In particular, he has focused on preventing off-shore oil drilling and setting aside funding to restore the Everglades ecosystem. He has served on bipartisan commissions and task forces to craft proposals to make health care more affordable and accessible for everyone. He worked for 10 years to make the dream of constructing a new Veterans Outpatient Clinic in Lee County a reality. He continues to fight for fair distribution of VA dollars nationwide to ensure that those dollars go to where the veterans are. In the area of national security, Porter has traveled to war-torn cities in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia to engage in policy discussions and view first-hand the challenges faced by our allies. He also actively participates in the review of NATOs response to global security issues. Porter began his public service career when he was elected to the first Sanibel City Council in 1974 and named mayor by his fellow council members. In 1983, Porter was appointed to the Lee County Board of Commissioners by then-Governor Bob Graham. A former officer with U.S. Army Intelligence and the CIA, Porter brings personal knowledge and experience to his role as Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He also serves on the House Rules Committee, which is responsible for how legislation is presented on the Floor, and the new Select Committee for Homeland Security. Porter and his wife Mariel have resided on Sanibel since 1971. They have four children and eleven grandchildren. |
I hope he can straighten things out there. I wish him luck and sucess.