Anna Eshoo: “I rise in support of H.R. 3773. Today's debate really goes to the heart of the two highest responsibilities of Members…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 3773. Today's debate really goes to the heart of the two highest responsibilities of Members of Congress, to preserve our Constitution and to secure our Nation. Front and center, that's what this bill does, it accomplishes both. It gives the intelligence community the most flexible tools for our professionals for their surveillance of terrorists and other necessary targets overseas. It accomplishes that. It safeguards our constitutional rights by requiring the FISA Court to approve targeting and minimization standards at the front end, when no emergency exists and to assure that Americans are not targeted. It protects the private sector by providing prospective liability protection for telecommunications companies that provide lawful assistance to the government, and it provides those companies a way to present their defenses in secure proceedings, in district court, without the administration using state secrets to block those defenses. These are the most critical tools and safeguards, and that's why Members of Congress can be assured that they will be taking all the right steps by supporting this bill. The bill is one that we should all support, and I am proud to support it.”