Dianne Feinstein: “before I make my statement, which will be on the Reid amendment, I would like to congratulate Senator Collins, Senator…”

“before I make my statement, which will be on the Reid amendment, I would like to congratulate Senator Collins, Senator Inouye, Senator Murray, and all of the Members who worked in committee on this bill. Although one doesn't often tell tales of what happened in a Democratic caucus, I would like to quote Senator Murray in that caucus. She said, ``This bill will make a difference.'' I think that is a very dispositive, definitive, and positive statement. So I would like to offer my congratulations to the chairman of the committee and all who worked on it and thank them very much. Amendment No. 4936 Mr. President, I would like to speak about this very long Reid amendment which has been offered to be part of this bill. The amendment, much like the Real Security Act introduced last week, is a comprehensive package of ways to strengthen our national security through improved intelligence, military, diplomatic, and homeland security tools. But in particular I would like, as a member of both the Judiciary Committee and the Intelligence Committee, to address the issue of electronic surveillance to identify and prevent terrorist attacks. All Democrats support giving the President the tools he needs to find the terrorists before they have a chance to strike us again. This cannot be said too many times in too many ways. It is a fact, and I have never heard anything to the contrary.…”