[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 4074]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 DEMOCRATS' FISA BILL PROTECTS AMERICA

  (Mr. ARCURI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ARCURI. Madam Speaker, later today the House will have an 
opportunity to vote on a strong new FISA bill that has been negotiated 
over the last couple of weeks.
  The new legislation will modernize the Foreign Intelligence 
Surveillance Act. First, it rejects the President's plan to provide 
blanket immunity to telecom companies who turned over information about 
their customers. Instead, it gives the Federal court the exclusive 
opportunity to hear clear classified evidence in order to make a 
determination whether telecom companies should be held liable for their 
actions.
  Our legislation also requires a special bipartisan commission to 
investigate the Bush administration's use of wiretaps and other 
surveillance programs. The commission would be similar to the 
bipartisan 9/11 Commission that played a critical role in reviewing the 
events leading up to 9/11 and developing recommendations on how to best 
protect our Nation.
  Madam Speaker, House Democrats are hopeful that Republicans will join 
us in supporting a FISA bill that protects our Nation and our civil 
liberties.

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