[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1191]
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, the 21-day FISA extension that our friends on 
the other side of the aisle fought hard to pass 2 weeks ago would have 
expired this week. This extension was the Democrat alternative to a 
permanent bill to provide our intelligence community with the tools 
they need to fight the war on terror, and yet we still have not voted 
on the bipartisan Senate bill, or any alternative bill for that matter. 
We've done nothing.
  I believe this exposes the House leadership's plan for what it is, an 
abdication of their duty to provide our intelligence community with the 
tools needed to protect the United States.
  It has been 17 days since the Protect America Act expired. In the 
words of the Democratic chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, 
our intelligence gathering capabilities have already been ``degraded.''
  Contrary to what some say, there is urgency in this matter. We are 
losing out on obtaining new and evolving intelligence to enable our 
fight against terror. There are enough votes in the House to pass the 
bipartisan Senate bill. It's time for the Speaker to bring the 
legislation up for a vote.

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