Political Quotes

“Mr. President, it is greatly disappointing that the Senate is in session today to reconsider a vote we took before the Memorial Day recess to extend the three expiring provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Instead of passing the USA FREEDOM Act a week ago and sending it to the President, we are now poised to take the measure up this coming week, after the FISA authorities have expired. The result is that our intelligence agencies will lose important tools to protect against terrorist attacks. This is a self-inflicted harm, and one that was totally unnecessary. As I did a week ago, I will vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the USA FREEDOM Act, and I intend to vote for the legislation through the upcoming procedural votes. The bill is not perfect, but it extends the business records, lone wolf, and roving wiretap provisions and it institutes some important reforms to FISA. Unfortunately, what we have on the floor of the Senate tonight is political gamesmanship at its worst. We should have had this debate weeks or months ago, not up against the deadline. Failing that, the majority should not have defeated this motion last week when it is prepared today to pass it. We should skip the unnecessary delay of voting separately on the motion to proceed, cloture on the bill, and on the bill itself. Clearly there are 60 votes in this chamber to pass the USA FREEDOM Act, whether we do it today or if we do it next week.…”