Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading be dispensed with. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To require the Attorney General to disclose each decision, order, or opinion of a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that includes significant legal interpretation of section 501 or 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 unless such disclosure is not in the national security interest of the United States) At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. _. DISCLOSURE OF DECISIONS, ORDERS, AND OPINIONS OF THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT. (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following: (1) Secret law is inconsistent with democratic governance. In order for the rule of law to prevail, the requirements of the law must be publicly discoverable. (2) The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit stated in 1998 that the ``idea of secret laws is repugnant''. (3) The open publication of laws and directives is a defining characteristic of government of the United States. The first Congress of the United States mandated that every ``law, order, resolution, and vote [shall] be published in at least three of the public newspapers printed within the United States''. (4) The practice of withholding decisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court is at odds with the United States tradition of open publication of law.…”