[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.