[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 9, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PATRIOT ACT EXTENSION, H.R. 514
(Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, yesterday afternoon, 26 Republicans joined
me and 121 of my Democratic colleagues in defeating a misguided attempt
to extend, without badly needed changes, three soon-to-expire
provisions of the Patriot Act.
We must remember that the powers of intelligence and enforcement are
among the most important powers of government but also the most
fearsome. They must be used very, very carefully.
Last year, I joined Representative Conyers and other members in
offering the USA PATRIOT Amendments Act. This bill would have revised
the three controversial provisions we debated yesterday, and other
provisions, to ensure that government agents would have to demonstrate
a clear connection between the target of surveillance and terrorism
investigation. It is that bill we should be voting on, and I ask the
House leadership to schedule hearings and a vote on that bill.
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