Political Quotes

“this measure has been considered in the Intelligence Committee. I believed it was not necessary to require additional paperwork, but also I think it is important to note that some of the charges made about the powers given to the intelligence community are way out of bounds. This measure before us does, in fact, put further constraints on the intelligence community. There are powers that exist in both the intelligence community and in law enforcement agencies which may not be affected here. But to say this offers broad new means of getting into business records and other personal effects of individuals--this is a bill devoted to electronic surveillance. The reason we needed to do the bill on electronic surveillance was the fact that the means of electronic surveillance have changed, and the old FISA law did not permit the kind of collection that previously was permitted when communications outside the United States were by radio rather than by cable. The whole purpose of this bill is to ensure that there are procedures in place to permit surveillance targeting people reasonably believed to be outside the United States who have connections with terrorist activities, so that they are an agent or an employee or an officer of a foreign power and have legitimate foreign intelligence information. That is the test. That is what this does. Arguments about the nature of foreign intelligence surveillance should be limited to this bill. Mr. President, I yield the floor.”