Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I have the greatest respect for Senator Carl Levin and Senator John McCain. They have done an extraordinary job on the Defense authorization bill. I would say, by and large, this bill would not have engendered the controversy that brings us to the floor today but for this provision, because it is a critically important provision which has drawn the attention not just of those in the military community--which they, of course, would expect in a Defense authorization bill--but also the attention of those in the intelligence community and the law enforcement community across the United States, as well as the President of the United States. The provision which they include in this bill is a substantial and dramatic departure in American law when it comes to fighting terrorism. I salute Senator Udall for bringing it to the attention of the committee and now to the floor; that before we take this step forward, we should reflect and pass the Udall amendment which calls for the necessary agencies of government--law enforcement, intelligence, and military--to reflect on the impact of this decision, not just on the impact of America's security but on America's commitment to constitutional principles. This is a fundamental issue which is being raised, and it should be considered ever so seriously. We need to ask ourselves, 10 years after 9/11, why are we prepared to engage in a rewrite of the laws on fighting terrorism?…”