[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 124 (Friday, September 14, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            FISA AMENDMENTS ACT REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2012

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 12, 2012

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the FISA 
Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2012. Clearly, we must work to ensure 
that our intelligence and law enforcement communities continue to have 
the tools they need to protect American citizens. It is critically 
important, however, that in our effort to defend the liberties we 
cherish, we not enact measures that erode the very freedoms we seek to 
protect.
  This legislation, in its current form, still contains flaws which 
fail to ensure robust oversight of this program. Specifically, some of 
the amendments offered by my colleagues on the Judiciary and 
Intelligence Committees to increase transparency and shorten the sunset 
should have been included in the final bill. Unfortunately, we are 
considering this legislation under a closed rule, and no amendments can 
be offered to the full House.
  We must work to reauthorize this program in a balanced way that 
provides our experts with the authority they need to protect Americans 
while upholding the values enshrined in our Constitution. I look 
forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to reform these 
provisions so that we don't need to make the false choice between 
security and freedom.

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