Mark Udall: “I will reluctantly support this short extension of current law dealing with electronic surveillance related to efforts…”

“I will reluctantly support this short extension of current law dealing with electronic surveillance related to efforts to counter the threat of terrorism. My support is reluctant because I did not vote for the current law, which I think does not properly balance the need to counteract that threat with protection of Americans' rights and liberties. But today I will support a brief extension of that law--scheduled to expire in two days' time--for several reasons. First, I do think the basic law in this area--the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA--needs to be updated to respond to changes in technology, which was the purpose of the current, temporary law. Last August, I voted for a bill (H.R. 3356) to provide such an update. Unfortunately, while that bill was supported by a majority of the House, it did not receive the two-thirds vote required by the procedure under which it was considered, and so was not adopted. Its defeat resulted from the opposition of the Bush Administration-- supported by all but 3 of our Republican colleagues--which was demanding instead that the House approve a different version.”