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Rep. Jane Harman, Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence & Terrorism Risk Assessment, issued the following statement today in response to news that the CIA destroyed detainee interrogation tapes:

CIA Director Hayden's public statement yesterday, that some members of Congress were informed about the existence of videotaped interrogations of high value detainees, prompts me to respond.

In early 2003, in my capacity at Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, I received a highly classified briefing on CIA interrogation practices from the agency's General Counsel. The briefing raised a number of serious concerns and led me to send a letter to the General Counsel. Both the briefing and my letter are classified so I cannot reveal specifics, but I did caution against destruction of any videotapes.

Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and Reps. Robert Scott, William Delahunt and Jerrold Nadler have sent letters to Central Intelligence Agency Director Gen. Michael Hayden and Attorney General Michael Mukasey requesting details about today's reports that the CIA destroyed videotapes of interrogation activities. In particular, the Members ask whether the Justice Department knew about the tapes and their destruction and whether Justice will now investigate the matter.

Full letter to CIA Director Hayden:

December 7, 2007

General Michael V. Hayden

Director

Central Intelligence Agency

Washington, DC 20505

Attn: Office of Congressional Affairs

Dear General Hayden:

"The House on Thursday approved the biggest increase in vehicle fuel-economy standards since gasoline cost less than a dollar a gallon, in a sweeping energy bill that is headed for a showdown in the Senate and a possible veto from President Bush."

The House has just passed the Energy Independence and Security Act by a vote of 235-181. The bill will put us on a path toward energy independence--to strengthen national security, lower energy costs, grow our economy and create new jobs, and begin to reduce global warming. It raises fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for new cars and trucks -- the first increase in fuel economy standards since 1975, increases the Renewable Fuels Standard to 36 billion gallons in 2022, and requires for the first time that 15 percent of our electricity come from renewable sources.