Jim Sensenbrenner: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 990, to reauthorize the three expiring…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 990, to reauthorize the three expiring provisions of the PATRIOT Act for 4 years. This legislation provides much-needed certainty to our intelligence officials, who rely on these tools to prevent terrorist attacks, monitor foreign spies, and prevent espionage. Unfortunately, this bill does not go as far as legislation reported by the Judiciary Committee earlier this month. H.R. 1800, the bill I sponsored along with Judiciary Chairman Smith, Intelligence Chairman Rogers, and House Administration Chairman Lungren, permanently reauthorizes the lone wolf definition and extends section 206 roving authority and section 215 business records authority for 6 years. The PATRIOT Act has been plagued by myths and misinformation for 10 years. We've heard some of those tonight, and we'll probably hear more. In the last 3 months, myths have become even more outlandish--claims of warrantless wiretapping, monitoring entire neighborhoods, and blatant constitutional violations. Make no mistake: Each and every one of these claims are patently false, and if Congress fails to reauthorize these laws before they expire, America's national security and that of its citizens will be the most vulnerable in a decade. The lone wolf definition closes a gap in FISA by allowing the government to track a foreign national, not a U.S.…”