[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
[December 16, 2005]
[Page 1862]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Senate Filibuster of PATRIOT Act Reauthorization 
Legislation
December 16, 2005

    The PATRIOT Act has protected American liberty and saved American 
lives since the law's passage after the attacks of September 11, 2001. 
Today, a minority of Senators filibustered to block the Senate from 
voting to reauthorize key provisions of the act. These Senators need to 
understand that the PATRIOT Act expires in 15 days, but the terrorist 
threat to America will not expire on that schedule. The terrorists want 
to attack America again and kill the innocent and inflict even greater 
damage than they did on September 11th, and the Congress has a 
responsibility not to take away this vital tool that law enforcement and 
intelligence officials have used to protect the American people. The 
Senators who are filibustering the PATRIOT Act must stop their delaying 
tactics so that we are not without this critical law for even a single 
moment.