Akin Calls for Allowing U.S. Intelligence to Track Terrorist Communications by Revisiting FISA

Press Release

Akin Calls for Allowing U.S. Intelligence to Track Terrorist Communications by Revisiting FISA

Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee on Oversight and Investigations, voted to allow debate to modernize of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in order to allow U.S. intelligence to monitor foreign terrorist communications. The effort to allow debate on this crucial issue was opposed by the Democratic leadership.

Recently, the Republican members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence unanimously warned of the need to fix FISA to allow the U.S. intelligence community to monitor in a timely fashion foreign communications by terrorists who may be plotting attacks in the United States. The call for reform was in response to correspondence by Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell warning of an urgent need for such reform.

"We need to take warnings of increased terrorist coordination seriously and we should allow those charged with thwarting such attacks the ability to do their job," said Akin. "We know of potential terror cells abroad and have in the past monitored their communication, but currently technicalities in the law are hamstringing our intelligence capability and degrading our ability to defend ourselves."

"I am very concerned that the Majority worked to defeat an attempt to address this must critical issue prior to recessing for our district work period," concluded Akin.

Source