Politics

House Democratic Leaders Respond to the President on FISA

By Karina

Speaker Pelosi, Leader Hoyer and Whip Clyburn respond to President Bush’s assertion this morning that the new legislation the House is considering this week to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act “would undermine America’s security.”

Speaker Pelosi:

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer:

The President?s comments this morning regarding new House legislation to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act demonstrate an almost complete misreading of this important bill. In fact, this bill is the product of weeks of negotiations ? negotiations which the White House and Congressional Republicans refused to engage in ? and it marries the best of the House and Senate-passed FISA bills.

This legislation provides our intelligence professionals with all the tools they need to protect our nation, while also protecting the rights and values that make us proud to be Americans. The White House insistence that Congress provide telecommunications companies that participated in the President?s surveillance program with blanket immunity is neither justified nor in keeping with our nation?s legal tradition. In essence, the President is asking Congress to immunize companies for their conduct ? despite the fact that Congress is not sure what conduct it would be immunizing, and despite the fact that serious questions have been raised about the legality of the surveillance program. Congress owes the American people more than blind obeisance to the Executive Branch.

This House bill would allow telecommunications companies which participated in the President?s surveillance program to avail themselves of the legal defenses that currently exist, without providing blanket immunity. This approach is reasonable, thoughtful and appropriate.

House Democrats have every intention of passing this legislation and moving the process forward.

Majority Whip James E. Clyburn:

The absurd and outrageous allegations made by President Bush this morning that FISA legislation being considered in the House would make America less safe are false and misleading.

The FISA legislation being debated in the House this week would upgrade our intelligence surveillance capabilities while at the same time protecting core constitutional freedoms that all Americans value and cherish. Keeping America safe and defending the Constitution are goals I would hope the President could share with us.

I encourage the President to stop the scare tactics and work with Congress on legislation that improves our national security and moves our country in a New Direction.

Full post as published by The Gavel on March 13, 2008 (boomark / email).