|
Wilson signs discharge petition to force a vote on intelligence reforms
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Heather Wilson (R-NM) today pushed for the House to immediately bring up the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform bill already passed in the Senate, and has signed a discharge petition for the bill. Once the discharge petition receives 218 signatures, House rules require the bill be brought to the floor for an up-or-down vote.
House Democrat leadership has refused to voluntarily take up the Senate bill, and instead have chosen to block its consideration and allow lapses in our intelligence gathering.
“The reality is that a majority of this body, Democrat and Republican, want to take up this bill that will close the gap in our intelligence collection that expired eleven days ago,” Wilson said. “I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to sign this petition, so we can quickly vote on this legislation so crucial to our national security.”
“The Senate bill will reestablish the procedures we set up in August to listen to foreigners in foreign countries. We are now operating under outdated procedures that are delaying our ability to listen to tips that come in today.”
It has now been 67 days since the law guiding our nation’s intelligence collection, the Protect America Act, has expired, leaving our country vulnerable to gaps in intelligence.
The Senate-passed bill allows intelligence agencies to listen to foreigners in foreign countries plotting terrorist attacks, and contains immunity for telecommunications companies that assisted in gathering intelligence following the attacks on September 11, 2001.
Wilson is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is also the ranking Member of the Technical and Tactical Intelligence Subcommittee and has been at the forefront of this issue since the determination was made that gaps in the law were leaving Americans vulnerable to a terrorist attack. Wilson believes that reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act passed by the Senate balances the need to protect the civil liberties of U.S. citizens with the need to protect our citizens from attack, and if considered by the House would pass by a large, bipartisan majority.
- END -
|