Political Quotes

“Last week, the Judiciary Committee considered S.3276, a bill reauthorizing the surveillance provisions of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which is set to expire at the end of this year. The Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General have both stated that reauthorization of these important national security authorities is the ``top legislative priority of the Intelligence Community.'' After the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence reported its reauthorization bill, I asked for a sequential referral. Senator Grassley joined me in that request. It was for a limited time and had we not completed our markup last Thursday, time might well have expired for this committee to act on it. I was surprised last week and since to be criticized for seeking to improve the bill within its four corners. I thought that was why we sought the sequential referral, in order to consider and improve the bill where we could. I worked with Senator Feinstein, the chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence. We came to an understanding and she supported the substitute amendment I offered to shorten the sunset and add more accountability and oversight protections. I thank her for that. I am always willing to work with the Senator from California, who is so diligent in her efforts on the Intelligence Committee. We reached a good compromise and agreement. I had circulated the core of my amendment, to shorten the sunset, back on July 11, before the bill was to be considered.…”