FISA

FISA -- (House of Representatives - March 31, 2008)

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Mr. DENT. I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas and the gentlewoman from New Mexico for their strong leadership and advocacy on this critical national security issue. I think the colloquy engaged in really does represent the essence of the issue.

Former Director Bobby Inman was just quoted saying that it seems that there is greater concern around this Congress by a minority, frankly, to grant constitutional protections to foreign terrorists, really at the expense of protecting Americans.

I think we all know that is wrong. I think the colloquy you both just engaged in, and I heard the frustration expressed in your voice, I think that is also the frustration we are hearing from the American people. The American people do believe that Washington is broken, and I have said this many times. They are angry because Congress is not getting things done on their behalf, and this issue is just proof positive of this terrible failure.

It has been pointed out that we have a bipartisan agreement in the Senate, 68 votes. We have more than a majority in this House to pass this critical legislation, the Protect America Act. It will pass, if only the Speaker will allow this legislation to come up for a vote. They simply want us to put the national interests ahead of the special interests.

As you pointed out, the most litigious among us in this society are driving this issue and preventing the protection of the American people. I think it is just wrong, and we all know it is wrong. The bipartisan solution on FISA has been reached. There really are no more excuses. It is time for this leadership of the House to take ``yes'' for an answer. It is time to get the job done.

It has been 45 days, 45 days, since the Protect America Act has expired. Senator Rockefeller, the Chair of the Intelligence Committee in the Senate, the Democrat from West Virginia, has made a plea, and I am going to quote him. He said, ``What people have to understand around here is that the quality of the intelligence we are going to be receiving is going to be degraded. It is going to be degraded. It is already going to be degraded as telecommunication companies lose interest.'' That was Senator Rockefeller, not me.

The gentleman from Texas pointed out earlier too the letter that was sent to the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Silvestre Reyes, from the Director of National Intelligence, Mr. McConnell, and Attorney General Mukasey, essentially saying something very, very similar. I will read a quote from them in that letter of February 27, 2008. I will be happy to submit that letter for the Record here this evening.

But I am going to quote what they said about the degradation of our intelligence capabilities, pretty much agreeing with what Senator Rockefeller said, a Democrat. What they said is, ``That is exactly what has happened since the Protect America Act expired 6 days ago without enactment of the bipartisan Senate bill. We have lost intelligence information this past week as a direct result of the uncertainty created by Congress' failure to act.'' That was 6 days after the act. It is 45 days today.

They go on to say, ``Because of this uncertainty, some partners have reduced cooperation. In particular they have delayed or refused compliance with our requests to initiate new surveillances of terrorists and other foreign intelligence targets under existing directives issued pursuant to the Protect America Act.''

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