Political Quotes

“obviously I disagree with the description of the Senate Judiciary Committee's amendment. I spoke on this yesterday, but I am going to take a few minutes to describe what is in the Judiciary Committee's bill. I support the Judiciary Committee amendment to the FISA Amendments Act of 2007. The Judiciary Committee amendment would make important improvements to the Intelligence Committee bill, at the same time maintaining its structure and its authority. The so-called Protect America Act was rushed through the Senate last summer in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. We even saw a key member of the administration make commitments to numerous Senators, Republicans and Democrats, on that bill and then break his word, first to us and then on national television. It was a bad bill that has provided sweeping new powers to the Government. It imposes no checks on the Government and provides no oversight or protection for Americans' privacy. The Intelligence Committee did important work last fall in crafting a bill that begins to walk back from the excesses of the Protect America Act. I commend both Senator Rockefeller and Senator Bond for that. But two committees in the Senate have jurisdiction over FISA the Intelligence Committee and the Judiciary Committee. The Intelligence Committee acted first to establish a good structure for conducting critical overseas surveillance. The Judiciary Committee's amendment maintains that structure and the authority for surveillance.”