Extension of Authorities of Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DAVIDSON. Mr. Speaker, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is a fine tool for foreign intelligence. Unfortunately, it has been abused and corrupted.

I am encouraged to hear Mr. Raskin reclaim his opposition to warrantless surveillance, and I am encouraged that there is a bipartisan effort to reform it. In fact, I think the will of this body is that we defend the Constitution and we defend this Nation. We can do both. We are presented this false dilemma that somehow if you just abandon your freedom, you can be more secure. That is a false tradeoff.

Freedom surrendered is barely reclaimed, but, by God, we are here to reclaim it today. We want both. We want a warrant to protect the civil liberties of American citizens, and we want the foreign intelligence to be focused on foreign intelligence.

We trust the leaders in the Central Intelligence Agency, the NSA, and others to do what they are supposed to do to target foreigners, but clearly, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has abused their access to this data. They have targeted Americans under all sorts of authorities and not just under 702.

We have come together in a bipartisan way. Frankly, the bill that we sent to the Senate just this week was bipartisan. Not only did it deal with 702, but it dealt with the money. People need to pay attention. The future of the money is going to determine the future.

Central bank digital currency is communist money for the digital age. Unfortunately, some of my Democrat colleagues, who are united in opposition to warrantless surveillance of all forms, somehow don't see the central bank digital currency for what it is. It is the most dystopian surveillance tool ever developed. It corrupts money into a tool for coercion, surveillance, and control.

We rejected that, and the Senate didn't even give us a debate. John Thune asked to be the leader of the Senate, but he is not leading. He didn't even bring this to the floor for a debate. He keeps throwing up excuse after excuse. Well, I will tell you: Anyone can find an excuse. Leaders find a way. It is time for John Thune to do that or step aside and let somebody lead the Senate who will give us at least a debate but deliver the results the American people have demanded in this election.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of our colleagues to come together and defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source