    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [February 12, 2008]
    [Pages 178-179]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Senate Passage of the Intelligence Reform Legislation
    February 12, 2008

        After a full debate, the Senate today cast a strong, bipartisan vote
    in support of legislation that will ensure that our intelligence
    professionals continue to have the critical tools they need to protect
    the Nation.
        This good bill passed by the Senate provides a long-term foundation
    for our intelligence community to monitor the communications of foreign
    terrorists in ways that are timely and effective and that also protect
    the liberties of Americans. It will keep closed dangerous intelligence
    gaps that threatened our security. And this bill improves on the Protect
    America Act passed last summer by providing fair and just liability
    protection to those private companies who have been sued for billions of
    dollars only because they are believed to have done the right thing and
    assisted the Nation after the September 11th terrorist attacks.
        I commend Senators from both sides of the aisle who came together to
    pass this important bill. I thank Leaders Reid
    and McConnell and the leaders
    of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senators Rockefeller and Bond, for finishing work on this bill. Today the Senate
    demonstrated that protecting our Nation is not a partisan issue.
        The House of Representatives now has an opportunity to put aside
    narrow partisan

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    concerns and come together to pass this bipartisan bill and send it to
    my desk without delay. Our intelligence professionals and private sector
    partners need the certainty of long-term legislation that will allow us
    to keep programs in place to protect the Nation, so that the flow of
    critical intelligence information is not interrupted.

    Note: The statement referred to H.R. 3773.