Mike Pence: “later this afternoon we will consider additional reauthorizing amendments to the PATRIOT Act. The PATRIOT Act Conference…”

“later this afternoon we will consider additional reauthorizing amendments to the PATRIOT Act. The PATRIOT Act Conference Report is a balance between liberty and security. Chairman Sensenbrenner and those of us serving on the House Judiciary Committee dedicated ourselves to achieving this end. The additional safeguards that we will agree to today will further enhance the safety and security of the American people, and I enthusiastically support that. It is time, after two extensions and a debate worthy of the high standards of American democracy, that we send the PATRIOT Act to the President for his signature. We all lived through September 11th. I was here at the Capitol that day. I saw the evil of our enemies written in the smoke rising above the Pentagon. And we are reminded yet today that their desire to do such violence in our homeland and in the homeland of our allies is real. Since September 11th, we have seen attacks on buses and subway cars in London, attacks on commuter trains in Madrid, hotel bombings in Amman, and nightclub bombings in Bali. Osama bin Laden and Ayman al- Zawahire have spoken recently in videotapes expressing their desire to bring further terrorist destruction upon America. There is no doubt that we are under an extreme threat each day. However, there also is no doubt about America's determination to protect itself.…”