[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1892]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ON FISA, THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY HAS THE TOOLS IT NEEDS TO PROTECT 
                           NATIONAL SECURITY

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, Washington Republicans are not leveling with 
the American people on the immediate effects of the expiration of the 
Protect America Act. Despite their fear-mongering, even the Bush 
administration admits that it still has the ability to continue all its 
wide-ranging surveillance for another 6 months.
  Kate Martin, Director of the Center for National Security Studies, 
said, ``If the government learns of new individuals plotting terrorist 
activities, it can immediately surveil such individuals, the court can 
issue an order within minutes of being asked, or the government can 
start surveillance without a court order under the existing FISA 
emergency authority.''
  Richard Clarke said, ``The President misconstrued the truth and 
manipulated the facts. It was wrong to suggest that warrants issued in 
compliance with FISA would suddenly evaporate with congressional 
inaction.''
  Mr. Speaker, our intelligence community still has every tool 
available that it had under the President's Protect America Act. 
Republicans should stop their misleading fear-mongering.

                          ____________________