[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2809]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            RENEWAL OF FISA

  (Mrs. BLACKBURN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, it is with disappointment that I rise 
today. It is disappointment over the fact that this body still has not 
brought to the floor the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the 
Protect America Act.
  We have heard the colloquy that has taken place on this floor this 
afternoon. We know that a bipartisan solution to this was passed in the 
Senate with 68 votes. We also know looking at our calendar that 
obviously the issue is not about time. The issue is about having the 
will to pass this bill.
  The Protect America Act has expired. We are now under the old 
surveillance laws that were written in 1978. The intelligence community 
has expressed their desire to see this passed because they know that 
they are having to waste valuable time working on bureaucratic red tape 
and legal paperwork and dealing with trial lawyers, instead of spying 
on terrorists who seek to do us harm.
  I would encourage the majority to bring forward the Foreign 
Intelligence Surveillance Act. Let's work to keep America safe.

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