WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jim Nussle today voted to protect our homeland by monitoring terrorists communicating with individuals in the United States.  The Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act (H.R. 5825) passed the U.S. House on a bipartisan vote of 232-191.

Nussle stated, "If terrorists are plotting another attack, we owe it to all Americans to disrupt those plans and keep our people safe.  By allowing our intelligence community to monitor the conversations of possible terrorists and coordinate a proper course of action, we are one step closer to preventing an attack.  We face an unprecedented threat, and we need to utilize every option at our disposal to track, monitor, and detain terrorists seeking to attack our homeland and our very way of life.  This legislation also includes vital safeguards to ensure proper oversight of these programs to protect our Constitutional liberties."

The Electronic Surveillance and Modernization Act outlines specific guidelines under which the government can monitor phone calls and other electronic communication between individuals in the United States and terrorist organizations throughout the world.  The bill includes vital civil liberties protections to ensure that only communication with known terrorist entities will be monitored. 

This legislation must now be approved by the U.S. Senate before it can be sent to the President and signed into law. 

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