OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3773, Restore Act of 2007

Date: Nov. 15, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

PROVIDING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3773, RESTORE ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - November 15, 2007)

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Ms. MATSUI. I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, liberty and security are not mutually exclusive. Reliable intelligence is crucial for the defense of our Nation. Without it, we would not be safe. At the same time, civil liberties are a vital part of our national identity. Without them, we would not be free.

Our Founding Fathers understood that liberty and security complement each other. Unfortunately, this core premise has been muddled as we have debated FISA legislation. This legislation protects the people and the principles that we hold so dear in this country and it modernizes our Nation's intelligence laws to meet the technological demands of the 21st century.

I am especially pleased that the bill before us today provides such strong legal clarity. Without clear boundaries, intelligence officers will err on the side of caution. Strong legal footing not only protects our civil liberties; it also ensures that prosecutions will not be jeopardized.

Mr. Speaker, the American people also deserve disclosure of the data that has been surrendered to the government by the telecommunications industry. It is critical for Congress to be fully informed before making such an important decision as granting retroactive immunity. Brave men and women have sacrificed to protect the civil liberties and values that we hold most dear. We cannot and should not lightly brush their contributions aside. Instead, we must honor their memories by taking responsible action to protect two of the things that our constituents hold most dear, our freedom and our national security. Neither of these basic American values can exist without the other.

I will continue to support bills like the RESTORE Act that recognize this essential truth. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

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