Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act
ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE MODERNIZATION ACT -- (House of Representatives - September 28, 2006)
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Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, as the chairman said, I am one of the newer members to the Select Intelligence Committee. But I am not any longer one of the newer Members to Congress, because I was here on September 11. I saw as we evacuated the Capitol. I saw as the Pentagon burned. I saw as America rallied, asking us to make sure this didn't happen again.
Today, we are considering some commonsense, limited reforms that are necessary. They are necessary because, on both sides of the aisle, we want to make sure that we codify in law what will be done, that we minimize executive order but maximize the ability of the executive branch to meet its obligations to the people.
H.R. 5825, if it weren't the eve of election, would clearly be just another commonsense reform done on a bipartisan basis. But we are in the midst of an election.
I have been on the Judiciary Committee since I came as a freshman 6 years ago. I am very concerned about civil rights, about protecting Americans' civil rights. And if I could just take a minute to get beyond the partisanism for a moment, I am also an Arab American. I am exactly the group that is likely to have to think about is my call to Yemen or to Lebanon or to Jordan or any of the other expanded places that I have family and friends, is that going to be potentially monitored? I have thought about that. I have soul searched it for myself and for many millions of people like myself in the United States who are Americans born and raised but, in fact, have friends and family abroad.
I am comfortable with this bill. I am comfortable with the parts that are unclassified, and I am comfortable with what I have learned on a classified basis. That doesn't come easy, but I have made the effort to do so. I am supporting this bill because it is the right thing to do to make all Americans safe, and it is the right thing to do to make sure that we never again have to apologize to the American people for September 11.
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