Providing for Consideration of H.R. Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act; Providing for Consideration of H. Res. Denouncing the Biden Administration's Immigration Policies; and Providing for Consideration of H. Res. Opposing Efforts to Place One-Sided Pressure on Israel with Respect to Gaza
Floor Speech
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me.
Let me tell you what bothers me.
So we know that there is a severe problem with the apparatus of the Federal police state abusing FISA, both section 702 and title I, to use those authorities to surveil and search Americans' private data.
I want nothing more than to put every Member of this body on the record. Do you support the warrant protections granted under the Fourth Amendment to your constituency? I want everyone on the record on that.
In order to get there, we put at risk this bigger, broader problem because the other amendments made in order will expand that authority before we know we can even curb the authority.
So you are creating another bucket for which you are exposing American citizens--innocent American citizens, 19,000 donors to a political campaign. Don't tell me that all those 19,000 people were in contact with Hamas. They weren't.
The system was abused. That is why we need the warrant requirement. That is why we need the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act, but we are not even going to be able to consider that.
What I am telling you is we have a conundrum, as my friend from Texas has said, of the Speaker saying we are going to brief you on what NSA, CIA, FBI says, but we are not going to bring in anybody to counter what they say. And we are going to do it in a SCIF so you can't tell the American people.
Well, what I want is: I want accountability. I want accountability to myself and everybody else in this body. That is why I am leaning towards voting for this.
On the other hand, the real question is: Are we going to go ahead and expand the authorities of the Federal police state just because we want a vote?
Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, as we can see, there is strong consideration on some of the issues with regard to FISA, but we have also seen that we are so close to its expiration, and I really wonder whether the rule will pass.
I haven't heard them talk about whether they think this rule will pass. As I noted, six rules have been killed on the Republican side. There was also a tweet that was recently issued by the presumptive Presidential nominee in all caps. It says--and I am quoting this; I am not making any observations. It says in all caps--and I can't yell that loud--but it says: ``Kill FISA, it was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign.''
I wonder whether this House will continue to move forward on the business that must be done or whether tweets will indeed lead to what action we are taking here today. Hopefully, we will take action that leads us to move forward.
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