Corzine appointed to Intelligence Committee

New Jersey Sen. Jon Corzine will join the Senate Intelligence Committee and his Democratic colleague, Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, was reappointed to the Environment and Public Works Committee in assignments announced Monday. Corzine promised to use his seat to oversee the reorganization of the nation's intelligence services. ``As we learned from the 9/11 Commission, more effective oversight of our nation's intelligence capabilities is critical to keeping America safe,'' Corzine said in a statement. Nearly 700 New Jersey residents died in the Sept. 11 attacks, and the state was struck by the anthrax mailings a month later. Some of the suspected Sept. 11 terrorists lived in the state in the months before the attacks. ``New Jersey also has under-protected chemical plants and ports the FBI has called the most dangerous two mile stretch in the nation,'' Corzine said. To join the Intelligence Committee, Corzine will not be reappointed to the Foreign Relations Committee. He was reappointed to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and the Senate Budget Committee. Corzine is also planning a run for New Jersey governor in November 2005. Lautenberg noted that the environment committee deals with issues such as Superfund sites, nuclear plants, clean water and clean air ``that are all of critical importance for New Jersey.''