[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 416]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            PROTECT AMERICA

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss a matter of great 
urgency. In just a few short days, the legislation that permits our 
intelligence community to monitor terrorist communications will expire. 
This law, known as the Protect America Act, is a vital tool used by 
American agents to quickly intercept and act upon electronic 
communications between foreign terrorists.
  Just last summer, we passed this law because Congress recognized that 
the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 was not designed to 
govern the surveillance of modern telecommunications, the same 
electronic communications that groups like al Qaeda are using to plan 
attacks against U.S. citizens. I, for one, still believe that 
intelligence analysts shouldn't need to consult with lawyers every time 
a suspected terrorist buys a new disposable cell phone. But unless we 
act before February 1, that is exactly the kind of legal delay that our 
intelligence agents will face.
  So let's abandon the partisan rhetoric and enact a long-term 
reauthorization of this important law, and let's do so without adding 
new bureaucratic hurdles or exposing private communication companies to 
unjustified lawsuits. Our men and women on the front lines deserve 
every tool we can give them to intercept and interrupt terrorist plots. 
The American people count on them to keep us safe. Let's pass this law.

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