A Week of Significant Legislation
June 24, 2008
‘It might have taken awhile for our friends on the other side to come around to our view and the view of most Americans on these issues, but for the sake of our troops, their families, and our security, we’re glad they finally did’
Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding pending legislation, including two key national security accomplishments—funding for the troops and providing the intelligence community the tools it needs to track terrorists overseas:
“Looking at the remaining days this week, Americans can expect the Senate to make progress on three significant pieces of legislation.
“After a failed attempt to address the housing crisis without Republican input, Democrats finally agreed last week to allow our input. As a result, we now have a bipartisan housing bill that addresses many of their concerns but I think it could be made even better with some further amendments which I am hopeful we’ll have an opportunity to do even if cloture is invoked.
“The Senate this week must also complete two important and long overdue national security measures: the supplemental troop funding bill that the President first requested more than 500 days ago and an updated terrorist surveillance bill that the Senate first approved last August but which expired more than four months ago after House Democrat inaction.
“It’s worth noting that on both national security measures, Democrats will be approving something Republicans have supported all along. Regarding the supplemental, Republicans have argued for the past year and a half that Congress has a solemn duty to fund our troops while they’re on the field of battle. And regarding FISA, Republicans have argued for more than a year that the intelligence community should have the tools it needs to listen in on conversations between terrorists overseas — and that the companies that may have allowed them to do so shouldn’t be punished for helping.
“And I remain hopeful that the Senate will be able to follow these important issues and end the week with a bipartisan Medicare agreement as well.
“It might have taken awhile for our friends on the other side to come around to our view and the view of most Americans on these issues, but for the sake of our troops, their families, and our security, we’re glad they finally did.”
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