HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Washington, Feb 14, 2008 - Pressure continues to build on House Democratic leaders to pass the bipartisan Senate-approved bill to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).  After the House soundly rejected an inadequate short-term FISA extension pushed by Democratic leaders, Blue Dog Lincoln Davis (D-TN) told CQ in a story titled “Blue Dogs Defect on Surveillance Bill” that enough was enough: 

Even as Republicans and Blue Dogs continue to press for action on the Senate bill, House Democratic leaders have said they may let the Protect America Act (PPA) expire, putting America’s national security at risk.  Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told the New York Times allowing it to expire “doesn’t mean we are somehow vulnerable again.”  

But the consequences of inaction are very real.  And it would leave U.S. intelligence officials unable to begin new foreign intelligence surveillance that would have been authorized under the Protect America Act.  Nothing highlights the danger of the Democrats’ position more than tragic kidnapping last year of three American soldiers.  As the New York Post recently highlighted in Tapped Out: ‘Wire’ Law Failed Lost G.I., the consequences of the old law that left open the terrorist loophole – before Congress enacted the Protect America Act – were very real.  

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has made clear that leaving Washington without completing our work on FISA it would be the “height of irresponsibility.”  Roll Call reported on comments from Boehner after Democratic leaders failed to pass their short-term extension: 

Our terrorist surveillance laws are critical to keeping our nation safe from attack.  The bipartisan Senate-passed bill would modernize these laws in the long term so intelligence officials, not government lawyers, are entrusted to protect our national security.  Will House Democratic leaders finally accept this fact and rally behind the bipartisan FISA bill?  Or will they leave Washington without completing our critical work on FISA – and put our national security at risk? 

READ MORE:

• House Dem Leaders Will Endanger America's National Security if they Allow the Protect America Act to Expire (2/13/08)
• House GOP to Force Vote on Bipartisan, Senate-Passed FISA Modernization Bill (2/13/08)
• Boehner: House Democratic Leaders’ Refusal to Consider Senate-Passed FISA Modernization Is “The Height of Irresponsibility” (2/13/08)
• Key Blue Dogs Break from House Democratic Leaders, Support Bipartisan Senate FISA Bill (2/13/08)
• Boehner Calls on House Democratic Leaders to Schedule Bipartisan Senate FISA Bill Immediately (2/12/08)
• After Senate FISA Vote Today, Pressure Will Mount on House Dem Leaders to Close the Terrorist Loophole (2/12/08)
• Boehner Calls on Democratic Leaders to Permanently Close Terrorist Loophole (1/29/08)