Political Quotes

“Thank you, Mr. President. PATRIOT Act Today, I rise to express my longstanding concerns about the PATRIOT Act and in particular section 215, which is set to expire on June 1. A major use of this section--the bulk collection of Americans' phone records--has just been ruled illegal by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. If we didn't already have enough concern about reauthorizing section 215, this decision should raise alarm bells. Yet, the majority leader is asking us to act quickly to reauthorize this law unchanged for another 5 years. Without significant reforms to the law, I cannot support an extension of any length of time, and I urge my colleagues to listen to the court and listen to the numerous oversight groups from within the administration and the millions of citizens who are saying that Congress needs to rethink whether this program is violating our rights in the name of keeping us safe. Ben Franklin was very fond of saying, ``Those who give up liberty in the name of security deserve neither.'' That is where we are today. Congress passed the PATRIOT Act over a decade ago after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Our Nation was devastated. Our security was at stake. But this legislation was hasty, it was far-reaching, and it undermined the constitutional right to privacy of law-abiding citizens. It still does. I have made my opposition clear in the years since 2001.…”