On the recordFebruary 10, 2011
I think there would be broader agreement perhaps if there was a 60-day extension and then perhaps a need for another 60-day extension if there was no legislative business completed, but putting it off 10 months or a year can actually give an excuse not to bring to the forefront these very important issues that need to be dealt with. This body can produce results. The single most significant bill was H.R. 2, the repeal of an entire body of health care law, and somehow there was the ability to bring that to the floor within days of the opening of the new Congress. You know, both parties want to ensure that the government has the tools we need to fight terrorism. We can all agree that the Patriot Act has issues that need to be resolved. If we can move this bill through the regular order, I'm confident that the Judiciary Committee can make improvements that they've already discussed in prior session. In fact, just last year, the Judiciary Committee reported out by voice vote reform measures that would improve the Patriot Act and add real oversight. It's clear that there is bipartisan support to improve this bill.
