WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that will review Porter Goss’ qualifications for serving as head of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Upon learning of Goss’ nomination while traveling in Maine Tuesday, Snowe said she thought “it would be premature to speculate on whether or not his credentials are the right ones for this moment in time. I think the key is going to be the type of reform he is going to be prepared to embrace.”

Snowe is co-sponsoring legislation that would significantly change the role of the CIA director and create a director of national intelligence as recommended by the Sept. 11 commission.

Goss, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has expressed reservations about the recommendations of the commission.

“Porter Goss certainly is an able and capable individual and certainly has the qualifications,” Snowe said. “I think the question is how much and how far he and the president and Congress are prepared to go in addressing the far-reaching recommendations of the 9-11 commission.”

Fellow Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who chairs the Governmental Affairs Committee, which is conducting hearings on the Sept. 11 commission recommendations, said she thought Bush had made a “wise decision” in picking Goss.

“At a time when our nation is at an increased risk of terrorist attack, the president has tapped an individual who can hit the ground running in leading the CIA,” Collins said of the former Army intelligence officer and clandestine CIA operative. “He understands the challenges we face as we work to reorganize the intelligence community to make our nation safer.”