FISA Amendments Act of 2008 - Motion to Proceed

Floor Speech

FISA AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2008--MOTION TO PROCEED -- (Senate - June 25, 2008)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, let me brighten our day and lift the mood of my good friend, the majority leader. I think by any standard this is going to be a week of considerable bipartisan accomplishment for the American people. We have a great likelihood of completing the supplemental. As everyone knows, the war portion of the supplemental, we don't even have to vote on again. The only thing we will be voting on, again, on the supplemental are the domestic parts of it that are widely supported on both sides of the aisle.

We all agree we need to do the so-called docs' fix. There is some difference of opinion about exactly how to craft that. Senator Baucus and Senator Grassley have a history of being able to come together and work these things out in a way that makes sense for both sides.

The FISA bill enjoys almost, I assume, unanimous support on this side of the aisle and more than half the votes on the other side of the aisle. There is no reason we would not get there on that.

As the majority leader has pointed out, at some point along the way, the cobwebs and trip wires and other problems the housing bill has run into will be circumvented by the majority and we will get to final passage on a piece of legislation that the vast majority of people on both sides of the aisle think is important.

So I finish today with optimism about the chances of considerable accomplishment for the American people before the week is out.

I yield the floor.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source