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

Floor Speech

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Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a degree of sadness because I was present at the birth of this legislation. For 30 years, I was either a Member of the Committee, ranking member on the committee, or the Gang of Eight, for 30 years. I bring extensive intelligence experience to this discussion.

Following 9/11, it was with great care that we worked in a bipartisan fashion to put together the legislation to advance what we are talking about today, this FISA initiative.

In that legislation, we established the Office of the DNI, the Director of National Intelligence. It had certain standards. The Director of National Intelligence, to be appointed by the President, with the advice of the Senate, the individual nominated shall have extensive national security experience. He shall serve as the head of the intelligence community, act as the principal adviser to the President, under the National Security Council, Homeland Security, and the rest.

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Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I have lists, from the legislation, of the criteria establishing the position.

What do we have from the President? Somebody who has no judgment on intelligence matters. What an insult to our brave intelligence community, who serve us so well to protect the American people, to put somebody in there.

If we are expected to vote for FISA, and Patel is at FBI and--what is his name?--Pulte as DNI--Pulte and Patel equals ``no'' on this FISA legislation. It can be done if there is an intention to do it right.

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