Pete Sessions: “I also say this. I am not aware of a single proponent of the PATRIOT Act who has accused any Member on the other side…”

“I also say this. I am not aware of a single proponent of the PATRIOT Act who has accused any Member on the other side, or any Member who opposes the PATRIOT Act, of being unpatriotic. Where did that come from? I would like to search the Record. I would like to see that. I do not think it has occurred. I have not heard anybody over here say that. We say: You are wrong. We say you are making a mistake, that you ought to reconsider, you ought to study the act and see that it does not threaten our liberties, that it is consistent with our constitutional protections this great Nation provides. If you do not pass it, I will repeat, this legislation will lapse as of December 31, and it will place our Nation at greater risk. There is no doubt about that. I would repeat, again, it is stunningly surprising to me that we end up, after the bill passed here unanimously in the Senate, unanimously in the Judiciary Committee, and it went to conference with the House of Representatives. At conference, most of the disagreements were resolved in favor of our bill. Who has ever heard of a bill of this size that did not have some changes in conference? They were all minor. Most of the changes resulted in movement toward the Senate bill. Some of the provisions were left to be sunsetted in 4 years by the Senate bill. The House said they should be sunsetted in 10 years, so they would stay in effect for 10 years before they would have a full up-or-down review for reauthorization.…”