Jay Rockefeller: “this turns the bill on its head. This says if we are targeting folks overseas, that in effect we have to get a FISA…”

“this turns the bill on its head. This says if we are targeting folks overseas, that in effect we have to get a FISA Court approval for each and every time that happens. Let me say the amendment causes enormous operational problems for intelligence professionals. They are very serious about it. The DNI and the Attorney General say it will hamper U.S. intelligence authorizations currently authorized because every single person would have to have a court order, and when you are collecting overseas, that becomes kind of a burden. While the technical details concerning such intelligence operations are classified, the concern is that the restriction would prevent the Government from doing intelligence collection against a foreign city, or a neighborhood in a foreign city, in advance of a military operation or perhaps in pursuit of a terrorist cell. The amendment is unnecessary, and I urge its defeat.”