Ron Wyden: “today I rise to say the national antiterrorism legislation passed by this body is in grave danger of being rendered…”

“today I rise to say the national antiterrorism legislation passed by this body is in grave danger of being rendered useless. The bill passed by this body corrected an immediate and severe impediment to the undercover investigations that must be employed to shut down terrorism in our Nation. The antiterrorism bill passed by this body included legislation introduced by Senator Leahy, Senator Hatch, and myself that would untie the hands of Federal prosecutors in my home State of Oregon and remove the roadblocks that currently all but prohibit undercover investigations there. Unfortunately, the antiterrorism legislation passed by the House strips that provision and rips back open the enormous loophole that potentially makes Oregon a safe haven for dangerous criminals and terrorists everywhere. For more than a year now, State and Federal prosecuting attorneys in Oregon have been legally prohibited from advising or participating in law enforcement undercover investigations. Without advice of counsel, law enforcement operatives cannot conduct wiretaps, sting operations, or infiltrate dangerous criminal operations. Covert investigations in my State have been shut down for more than a year.”