[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE VOTE ON THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE 
                                  ACT

  (Mr. KLINE of Minnesota asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, the Protect America Act 
expired on February 16. It has been almost a full month since the 
majority allowed this important element of our national security to 
lapse.
  President Lincoln once told this Nation, ``A house divided against 
itself cannot stand.'' Madam Speaker, for this past month, Democratic 
leadership has needlessly attempted to divide this Congress on a 
national security matter. A bipartisan majority of this House wants to 
adopt the Senate version of the bill to restore our intelligence teams' 
ability to protect us, but we have been denied a chance to even vote on 
the Senate measure.
  The leadership has kept this House divided, and for what reason? This 
morning the newspapers are full of reports that we are jeopardizing our 
national security in order to benefit the trial lawyers, who stand to 
gain billions of dollars in suits against the telecommunications 
companies. These are the companies that reportedly responded to pleas 
from our government for help, and now they are subject to potentially 
crippling lawsuits.
  A house divided against itself cannot stand. The people of this great 
Nation expect bipartisan action, and the time is long overdue to come 
together.

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