Richard K. Armey: “Each and every one of those efforts was tabled in the other body. And this committee worked with the White House to…”

“Each and every one of those efforts was tabled in the other body. And this committee worked with the White House to restore those protections to the base bill so that we can achieve a proper balance, a balance that gives the resources to the agencies of this government to protect the American people while at the same time protects us from any trespass against our liberties. Mr. Speaker, I should point out the controversy that surrounds the sunset clause. I was there when the Democrat minority from the committee presented to the chairman of the committee their five requests for the final revisions of this effort; and I was there when we saw that the exact sunset language in this bill was proposed to the chairman just yesterday by the minority on that committee. It is good sunset language. It is necessary sunset language. It gives our agencies an opportunity to use these tools of investigation and surveillance, and us the opportunity to fulfill our responsibility to oversee that activity, to review it, and to choose to reauthorize or not. I am proud of that language, and I am proud of the minority for offering it. Bottom line is this, Mr. Speaker: as we started this effort, we knew something from historical experience. The world is replete with stories of strong governments who have maintained their own security by trespassing against the rights of even their own people. Strong governments can make themselves secure. We have seen that too many times.”