WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said Sunday President Obama failed to settle the controversy over the National Security Agency.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said on CNN's "State of the Union" that Obama's speech on the NSA last week was too fuzzy and failed to press home the legality and necessity of the agency's so-called metadata mining operations.
"We really did need a decision on Friday, and what we got was lots of uncertainty," said Rogers, a staunch defender of the NSA. "In my conversations over the weekend with intelligence officials, this new level of uncertainty is already having a bit of an impact on our ability to protect Americans by finding terrorists who are trying to reach into the United States."
Rogers said Obama was correct in portraying the program as fully legal and vetted by Congress and NSA overseers. But he was disappointed in Obama's plans to add another layer of reviews for the program.
"Only in Washington, D.C., can you announce you have a review board, and then announce in your big decision that you're going to review the review board, and then review the decision in 70 days. I'm for it, but I don't think it should go here," Rogers said.
