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Advocacy Blog
Friday, February 15, 2008
House Democrats Hold Out For Conference, while GOP Walk Out To Protest
Revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) remain at a stand still. The House turned down a 21 day extension of the temporary Protect America Act, law governing electronic surveillance, with a 229-191 vote. Rather than taking action on the Senate's bill that would provide retroactive immunity for companies, House Democrats will let the law expire holding firm for a conference of the bill. The President asserts that this will put our nation at risk. Clearly using fear tactics to get Congress to act, President Bush commented yesterday, "terrorists are planning new attacks on our country. Their goal is to bring destruction to our shores that will make September the 11th pale by comparison." Bush has repeatedly pledged his support for the Senate measure, and promised to oppose any more extensions or temporary bills.
On the other hand, some argue that having the law expire will have no immediate detrimental effect; the law's provisions remain in effect for a year, giving Congress time to debate. This fact sheet from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) argues that surveillance will not end.
Acting in protest, House Republicans left the chamber yesterday Feb. 14, angry that Democratic leaders did not call up the Senate passed bill.
According to CQ ($$), Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) and Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), will begin meeting with their Senate counterparts to discuss how to move to conference on a final bill. Pelosi said her timetable for conference bill uses the defeated 21 day extension. CQ quoted Pelosi; "The president says he won't sign an extension. That said to me the president knows he doesn't need an extension. He knows he has the authority' to continue current investigations and to launch new ones, with a FISA court order, she said."
Posted by Amanda Adams
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