FISA

Floor Speech

FISA -- (Senate - February 25, 2008)

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this is going to be a very busy few weeks and a very important few weeks. First, we have to complete the Indian health bill. Then we will have a debate on progress in Iraq. After the Iraq debate, we will turn to the economy and home ownership, and then the annual budget debate when the two parties put their priorities on the table.

So in the midst of an extremely consequential Presidential race, the Senate will debate some of the most important issues of the day, including terrorism and the economy.

But the debate over FISA--the Terrorist Surveillance Act--should be over. A bipartisan majority in the Senate has already voted to revise and extend our Nation's foreign intelligence surveillance program. A majority in the House, we know--a bipartisan majority--supports the Senate bill, and the Director of National Intelligence says our ability to track terrorists was weakened by the House leadership's failure to act.

This failure to act on FISA has weakened our ability to track terrorists. For the safety of the American people, the House needs to take up the Senate bill that got 68 votes in the Senate, and it should do so without further delay.

Two competing plans for moving America forward will be on vivid display over the next few weeks. The two parties will make their case on the issues that matter most. Republicans are ready and eager for the debate.

I yield the floor.

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