Congressman Urges Congress to Pass the Senate, Bi-Partisan Legislation

Mr. McCaul of Texas - Mr. Speaker. Nearly four weeks has passed since the protect america act expired, and for four weeks we're missing critical intelligence from foreign terrorists to better protect this nation.

Mr. Speaker, this is a dereliction of duty, the most solemn obligation we have in the house is to protect the American people, and yet we have allowed this act to expire. A bipartisan bill has passed through the Senate, yet we in the House are denied democracy and the opportunity to have the people vote for this important legislation that will protect Americans. I worked to apply for FISA warrants in the justice department. This statute was never intended to apply to foreign terrorists in foreign countries. In fact, what we're doing is extending constitutional protections to foreign terrorists like Osama Bin Laden. This turns the statute on its head, and yet we have the Majority Leader who says there's no urgency, the chairman of intelligence says we'll be just fine.

It reminds me of an F.B.I. agent who warned before 9/11, frustrated about the intelligence gap, he said someone someday will die. The public will not understand why we were not more effective at throwing every resource we had at certain problems, especially since the biggest threat to us now is Osama bin Laden and he is getting the most protection. I urge this Congress, this House, the democratic leadership to pass the Senate bipartisan bill and make the Protect America Act permanent.