Political Quotes

“nobody disputes that we all want to keep America safe. We all agree on that. We also want to make sure that we keep Americans free and that their constitutional freedoms are protected. None of us would think that we were making the country safer if we were to try to pass a law that said law enforcement or anybody else can walk into our homes at any time they want and go through any files we have, follow us anywhere they wanted just on a whim. We would be totally opposed to that. But some would say that in the aftermath of 9/11, in some of the aspects of the PATRIOT Act, we did just that. Congressman Armey, who was the Republican leader, the majority leader of the House at the time--a very conservative Republican--he and I joined together after consultation to put into the PATRIOT Act sunset provisions which would require us to have the debate we are having right now. We talk about consultation. The fact is that there have been hours and days and weeks and months of consultation between the House and the Senate on the USA FREEDOM Act. We had a bill before us last year that was filibustered. It still got 58 votes. That was done in consultation with the House. The majority leader of the House has already said--the Republican leader--he has warned the Senate not to move ahead with planned changes to the House bill because it could bring real challenges in getting the USA FREEDOM Act passed through the House again.…”