Dutch Ruppersberger: “While we never believe that any surveillance of Americans was permitted under our bill, we are taking any and all…”

“While we never believe that any surveillance of Americans was permitted under our bill, we are taking any and all precautions to make it entirely clear that no element of the intelligence community--which, of course, includes the Department of Defense and the National Security Agency--is authorized to target any United States person for surveillance. The chairman's amendment solidifies the privacy and civil liberties protections that we always have intended to have as part of the bill. No American activities or communications will be targeted--period. We cannot have security without privacy. Therefore, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. LaMALFA It is my pleasure to now yield 1 minute to the chairman of the Intel Committee, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers).”