[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 29, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H484-H485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  FISA

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, in August of last year, Congress passed the 
Protect America Act to close a dangerous loophole in our ability to 
collect intelligence information on foreign targets in foreign 
countries.

[[Page H485]]

  When this legislation expires on Thursday of this week, our 
intelligence community, responsible to collect intelligence on 
terrorist enemies, will lose their eyes and ears. Congress has stalled 
for 6 months to review the policy and come up with a solution to bring 
FISA up to date with our 21st century technologies and give our 
intelligence community the tools they need to fight terrorism.
  Now the House wants to pass a 30-day extension. The Senate can't even 
agree to that. Democrats in Congress want to empower judges and lawyers 
in their discovery proceedings and frivolous lawsuits over intelligence 
needs.
  The laws governing our intelligence collection should not be dealt 
with in the same way one pays rent for an apartment, month to month. We 
need to pass legislation to permanently create a solution that gives 
our intelligence community the tools they need to fight terrorism that 
threatens the security of every American.

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