On the recordSeptember 11, 2012
I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, we have heard a lot, particularly as it relates to FISA. I want to clarify and make sure everyone understands that the FAA authorizes the targeting of non-U.S. citizens who are overseas. They are not citizens of the United States. Thus, they don't have the protections under the United States Constitution--nor should they. If an American becomes a target during the investigation, just as in a criminal investigation when I was sheriff and someone became a target during a wiretap, we then have to identify that person. If we want to go after him, if we want to eavesdrop on his conversations, we have to get a separate order to allow us to do that. Back in 1978, when this was first put in place--guess what?--if an American were picked up in one of these wiretap operations, there was no requirement to go back and get a separate authorization to go after that American citizen. But 2008 changed that. 2008 put in a particular protection for American citizens who may get caught up in a FISA investigation in regards to the collection of data or voice transmissions. That's the difference. So, when people start talking about it as it relates to civil liberties, if you live in a foreign country, you don't have civil liberties with us if you're plotting against the United States. That's the whole identification reference to this: that it's a foreign country and a non-U.S. citizen. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
