Republican Proposal Would Ensure Intelligence Community Can Conduct Surveillance of Foreign Terrorists
Majority's Bill Would Grant American 4th Amendment to Terrorists, Prohibit Timely Surveillance of Osama Bin Laden, al Qaeda, & Other Foreign Terror Groups
Washington,
Oct 17, 2007 -
Today, House Republicans will offer a proposal to allow the Intelligence Community to conduct surveillance on Osama Bin Laden, al Qaeda, or any other foreign terrorist organization. A Democratic bill amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) could prohibit timely surveillance of terror groups because it may require the Intelligence Community to obtain a FISA court order to listen into terrorist communications.
THE ISSUE:
The Majority’s bill, for the first time ever, intentionally requires our intelligence officials to obtain FISA court orders for foreign communications of persons reasonably believed to be outside the United States. Congress passed the Protect America Act in August to specifically state that a court order is NOT required for foreign targets overseas. Furthermore, also for the first time ever, the Democrats’ bill would require a FISA court order for U.S. persons who are outside the United States.
Taken together, this means that if a foreign target operating overseas – like Osama Bin Laden – has either had contact with a U. S. person or called a U.S. number, our intelligence officials would be required to obtain a FISA court order to listen into their communications. Since it would be impossible to know in advance if the target has been in contact with a U.S. person, under the Democrats’ bill our intelligence officials would essentially need to get a FISA court order for every target operating overseas. The GOP proposal offered today would simply allow the Intelligence Community to conduct surveillance on Osama Bin Laden, al Qaeda, or any other foreign terrorist organization.
Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement on the GOP proposal:
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“There is absolutely no reason our intelligence officials should have to consult government lawyers before listening into terrorist communications with the likes of Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, and other foreign terror groups. Our proposal entrusts our intelligence officials – not government lawyers – with keeping America safe from terrorists bent on attacking our country. It’s time for Democrats to join Republicans in making the Protect America Act permanent.” |
Congress has no priority more important than protecting the American people, which is why House Republicans strongly oppose the Democrats’ underlying FISA bill. In August the Congress enacted the Protect America Act, which closed the terrorist loophole in our nation’s intelligence laws. Unfortunately, the House Majority’s approach – embodied in the so-called RESTORE Act – reverses course. It’s time for Democrats to empower our intelligence officials to act quickly to protect our troops and the American people, and it’s time for them to join Republicans in making the Protect America Act permanent.
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