FISA

Floor Speech

FISA -- (Senate - January 25, 2008)

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, just one further observation with regard to my friend's remarks.

The Bond-Rockefeller bill is exactly the way we ought to be doing our business. It came out of the Intelligence Committee 13 to 2. It is supported on a bipartisan basis. It is supported by the President of the United States. We have a product that was carefully negotiated by Senator Bond and Senator Rockefeller, approved by the Intelligence Committee 13 to 2, and supported by the President of the United States. That is my definition of a bipartisan accomplishment. Now the question is, Can we finish the job and get a signature?

This is not about frightening the American people. The American people should be frightened, and remember full well what happened on 9/11. They also remember with gratitude that it has not happened again for 6 years. The reason for it, obviously, is we have been on offense, going after the terrorists where they are, and we have improved our defense.

An integral part of protecting the homeland is the measure before us, carefully crafted on a bipartisan basis, supported by the President of the United States. If we want to finish the job and have a bipartisan accomplishment that all of us can be proud of, the way to do that is to pass this bill, send it to the House, urge them to take it up and pass it, and send it to the President, who awaits it to affix his signature.

I yield the floor.

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