Times-Herald - Thompson bill to prevent another Benghazi passes House

By Staff - Legislation by U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) to improve security at American embassies passed the U.S. House of Representatives as part of H.R. 4681, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015, it was announced Tuesday.

Since the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, studies suggest the need for security personnel at U.S. diplomatic posts to receive threat information from the intelligence community in a timely manner so they can request and receive needed security enhancements. Thompson's legislation addresses this by helping improving information sharing, he said in a statement.

"We have a responsibility to protect all Americans serving our country overseas," Thompson said.

Making sure U.S. diplomatic post security personnel receive threat information in a timely manner requires excellent information sharing and communication between the intelligence and diplomatic security communities, he said.

Thompson's legislation directs the Director of National Intelligence to provide an assessment of the status of threat information sharing between intelligence and diplomatic security personnel, and to propose remedial action to help ensure that U.S. Embassy security personnel can request and receive added security quickly when needed. The national intelligence director's classified report will be submitted to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, Thompson's office said.

H.R. 4681 passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 345-59. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Rep. Thompson represents California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Solano, Napa, Contra Costa, Lake and Sonoma counties.