Louise Slaughter: “Mr. Speaker, these are not the circumstances under which we should be considering this legislation. The bills before us…”

“Mr. Speaker, these are not the circumstances under which we should be considering this legislation. The bills before us deal with nothing less than the security of our homeland and the fundamental nature of our Nation. Our citizens deserve better than to have their elected representatives rush to pass all of these bills in one day, bills that say a great deal about who we are as a society and where we are headed as a country. The Homeland Security Appropriations Conference Report and the Military Commissions Act before us are manifestations of how this country has chosen to respond to the challenges that confront us, challenges to our safety and our peace of mind. Will we respond with flawed acts that undermine our economic vitality and sacrifice the very liberties we are theoretically fighting to protect? Or will we be measured in our response and do what is necessary to preserve our liberty from both threats abroad and the consequences of fear and mistrust here at home? Mr. Speaker, this homeland security legislation means a great deal to my constituents in western New York and to the tens of millions of Americans who live in northern border communities throughout our country.”