Political Quotes

“Senator Kennedy and I have offered an important amendment to ensure that there will be some measure of accountability for the unlawful actions of this administration in the years following 9/11. Regrettably, those opposing this commonsense review have so far succeeded in stopping the full Senate from even considering its merits. It is a sad day for the American public when its elected officials stonewall a measure designed to shed light on the Government's efforts to unlawfully spy on its own citizens. I urge Senators across the aisle to allow this amendment to be called up, debated, and given an up-or-down vote. As we all now know from press accounts, in the years after 9/11, the Government secretly conducted surveillance on its own citizens on a massive scale through what has become known as the Terrorist Surveillance Program, TSP. It was done completely outside of FISA, the law specifically drafted to regulate such conduct. And it was done without the consent or even the knowledge of the Congress. It is crucial that Congress and the American people understand why and how these decisions were made, both in the months after 9/11, and in the several years following that difficult time. This inspector general review amendment will provide that accountability.”