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(Washington, DC) - Congressman Wally Herger today strongly opposed H.R. 3773, legislation opposed by our nation’s intelligence leaders because it doesn’t equip them with the tools they need to monitor foreign terrorist suspects. The measure also fails to provide legal protections to telephone companies that, at the request of the Intelligence Community, assisted in surveillance activities on terrorist suspects after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. These companies currently face multi-billion dollar lawsuits. The bill passed despite a rare secret session of Congress last evening during which Herger and other representatives discussed classified information that demonstrated the need to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Herger had the following reaction to today’s legislation:
"After attending a classified session in the House, I can say that the failure to modernize FISA is making it more difficult to prevent future terrorist attacks on our nation. For this reason, I’m dismayed by the Democratic leadership’s latest rebuke of our nation’s nonpartisan intelligence leaders who have repeatedly urged Congress to modernize the out-of-date and burdensome FISA regulations.
“Unfortunately, many in the House appear determined to provide jihadists abroad with a terrorists’ Bill of Rights. This misguided position is harming our nation’s unending efforts to protect Americans from those who are determined to attack us again.
“The Senate has already overwhelmingly passed legislation that would provide our intelligence leaders with the tools they’ve requested to monitor foreign terrorist suspects. I strongly urge my friends on the other side of the aisle to recognize the urgency expressed by our intelligence leaders, and to modernize FISA and provide liability protections to patriotic Americans who helped our Intelligence Community after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Further delays will make American less secure and benefit foreign jihadists.”
For more information on the need to modernize FISA, click here and here.
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