Julian Bond

There is a clear delineation in this bill. We permit targeting of foreign terrorists overseas, or Americans, with a court order. This doesn't permit listening in on bulk collections of communications involving innocent Americans. The only…

This carrier liability provision is an essential part of this bill. If we permit lawsuits to go ahead against carriers alleged to have participated in the program, there will be more disclosures in discoveries and pleadings of the means of…

First of all, we thank all our colleagues for coming to this point where we can have votes and finally get this bill out, which we started in December. It is a very important bill. We have worked together on a bipartisan basis and resolved…

I respectfully say that my good friend, with whom I have worked on many measures and intend to work with on many more, is dead wrong. He is correct that the FISA law was passed in 1978, but the problem is it has been superseded by…

Unfortunately, my colleague from Alabama is right. I know we both don't want to engage in finger-pointing, but some of my colleagues have been making statements about our efforts on the bill, which leave me no choice but to correct the…

As the DNI explained to Congress in a closed-door briefing for all Senators in July of 2007, the FISC ruling came at a time of heightened concern in our intelligence agencies that terrorist attacks against the homelands of our allies might…

I would say there is a letter from the DNI, a classified letter, which is available in our Intelligence Committee offices or in S-407 for Senators to read that says what the intelligence community was able to accomplish after the Protect…

That is correct. Now I understand why Admiral McConnell is doing such a good job because he obviously had very good early training. I did not know he had been through the Warner course in intelligence, but that ties up the loose ends, and…

I say to my friend from Virginia, in April of 2007, the DNI submitted his request to modernize FISA to Congress, to our committee, and it included a request for full liability for all persons, including Government officials who had…

I wish to say what a pleasure it is to serve with the distinguished representative of Virginia, who served his country in the Department of Defense, who pushed through the landmark decision to have a volunteer military, which I might say…

I would tell my good friend from North Carolina that the bill we reported out of our committee provides a mechanism for the Government to compel a provider to comply with a directive. If the court finds that the directive was issued…

I might ask, isn't there a danger that if there is an amendment not subject to the 60-vote point of order, it is possible, with various Senators absent, that we could adopt, perhaps, on a 47-to-46 vote, an amendment that would make it…

I ask my colleague why it has taken so long to get us to this point when the Protect America Act expires on February 1?

I would ask my colleague--he just talked about the new protections for U.S. persons overseas: prohibition of reverse targeting, court review of acquisition, minimization, and certification procedures. Now, some have said we just ought to…

I would ask him, after debate on both sides and suggestions from both sides, did we not also include an express prohibition of reverse targeting, as well as providing court review, as he has stated, of minimization, acquisition, and…

I would ask, isn't this the first time any of the FISA bills--even the predecessor FISA bill or the Protect America Act--have included privacy protections for Americans overseas?

I would ask the Senator from Georgia further why it is so important to have the intelligence community operatives and lawyers involved in drafting the measure. We had several good ideas offered in the committee that turned out not to be…

Would the Senator from Georgia say that this bill not only enables the intelligence community to move forward, but it provides additional protections for Americans, for their privacy and constitutional rights? I would ask him if he thinks…

I would just ask my good friend if he doesn't agree the Intelligence Committee bills have to pass with 60 votes? I believe the Protect America Act passed with 60 votes. The leader said in December it made sense to have all votes at 60-vote…

I am happy to respond as soon as we go back to the normal means of proceeding on FISA matters, establishing a 60-vote threshold, which is the standard I had to meet to bring the Protect America Act to the floor. I would certainly expect…

If I may respond, I don't see any clearly defined mission. If my colleague doesn't agree that Amtrak should be providing efficient and effective passenger service in those travel markets in which passenger rail offers a trip time and…

I agree with that. Of course, I would agree in some areas there are no rail lines available to relieve that congestion. While many metropolitan areas do have rail lines, they are definitely an efficient alternative. In many areas of the…

Further, is it the expectation of the subcommittee that funding for the Arabadopsis 2010 program continue to be financed through the BIO directorate, yet separate from funds provided for the plant genome project as it has in the past?

Before my friend from Oklahoma leaves, we talk a lot about safety. This is one of the problems when we try to take a meat ax to all earmarked programs in the States that have been worked out. I was working on another amendment, so I didn't…

It relates to the fact that the U.S. Federal inspectors will be going to Mexico and making those inspections with Mexican trucks would satisfy his concern about the enforcement. Before the trucks can come in, U.S. Federal inspectors go to…