Political Quotes

“I thank Mr. Conyers. I rise in opposition to H.R. 3961, legislation to extend the expired provisions of the PATRIOT Act. The three provisions being extended today include the ``roving wiretaps,'' which allow the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to issue secret orders to wiretap any target without having to specify the target or the device. This extension also includes the ``lone wolf'' surveillance provision, which allows intelligence agencies to conduct investigations of non-U.S. individuals not connected to a foreign power or terrorist group, a provision that the administration has never had to use. Finally, this legislation would extend section 215 powers of the PATRIOT Act, which allows the government to order any entity to turn over ``any tangible things'' as long as it specifies its for ``an authorized investigation.'' Section 215 orders constitute a serious violation of Fourth and First Amendment rights by allowing the government to demand access to records often associated with the exercise of First Amendment rights, such as library records. Through years of documentation evidencing abuse of these provisions during the Bush administration, the Department of Justice has failed to hold Bush administration officials accountable for illegal domestic spying by barring any lawsuits to be brought against those officials.…”