Andy Barr: “Mr. Chairman, we are debating here today fundamentally important legislation. It is fundamentally important legislation…”

“Mr. Chairman, we are debating here today fundamentally important legislation. It is fundamentally important legislation because there is no more basic, more critical, more fundamental and more important duty of our Government than to protect its citizens, their homes, their businesses, our public institutions from acts of terrorism, from acts perpetrated by criminals in whatever capacity whatsoever. I do not think it would be appropriate... to think of our framing this debate in terms of preventing every act of terrorism. If we framed the debate thusly, then we would be forever frustrated in our analysis, in our efforts, because we will never stop criminal activities, no matter how many laws we pass, no matter how effectively or how broadly all of those criminal laws are enforced. Rather, we need to keep this debate focused on two things. First, how can we most effectively and most comprehensively minimize the chances for acts of terror being committed against our citizens, our institutions, and our homes?”