Mikulski Statement on FISA Reform "We belong to the red, white and blue party"

[The Straight Story]

Mikulski Statement on FISA Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement for the record on the need for reform to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that passed Congress Friday:

“Our first goal as members of Congress is to protect and safeguard the American people against terrorist attacks. I take my oath to do so very seriously. That’s why I support reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. As we approach the anniversary of September 11th, this is a time for more intense vigilance. Real threats to our country remain.

“As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, every day I see how terrorists want to harm the American people. Terrorists still have a predatory intent to harm the United States. Reforming FISA today provides the Intelligence Community the tools it needs to disrupt ongoing terrorist operations against the United States.

“We have two proposals to consider tonight. Both are temporary ways ahead. Each proposal takes important steps to secure the safety of our country by reforming this important law. The Rockefeller-Levin proposal is desirable, while the McConnell proposal is acceptable.

“Each proposal provides the Intelligence Community the key tools it needs to disrupt terrorist plans and intentions, while retaining the legal safeguards that protect the rights of every American.

“These proposals are consistent with the principles that the Director of National Intelligence requested to improve the FISA process:

# enhance intelligence collection against terrorist operatives communicating to each other overseas (foreign to foreign);

# provide legal safeguards to protect the rights of American citizens. Consistent with law, a warrant is still required to monitor communications of American citizens inside the United States;

# provide prospective liability protection to private sector companies assisting our efforts in keeping this country safe.

“These proposals are time limited. A more comprehensive and permanent solution is necessary. As a member of the Intelligence Committee, I will work with my colleagues on a more comprehensive and permanent solution to reforming FISA.

“Al Qaeda continues to want to inflict damage on our country. This proposal gives important tools to the Intelligence Community to disrupt the terrorist’s plans and intentions, while safeguarding the rights and civil liberties of American citizens.

“When it comes to protecting America, we don’t belong to a political party. We belong to the red, white and blue party. We are Americans first.”

http://mikulski.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=280609

[Mythsaje]

1. What about the oath to defend the Constitution?

Oh, whoops...nevermind that.

[aquart]

2. Sounds like a basically stupid person.

Easily, obviously, manipulated.

[The Stranger]

3. THAT IS THE WAR PARTY.

She and a subset of other Democrats have bolted our party to form a new party, The War Party.

[blogslut]

4. The Stepford legislator

How robotic. </disgust>

[Bluebear]

5. I had given her so much more credit than this. nt

[Captain Hilts]

7. Me too. She's my senator and I'm really disappointed right now.

Cardin and van Hollen didn't vote for it.

[Neecy]

6. This is simply a lie

This proposal gives important tools to the Intelligence Community to disrupt the terrorist’s plans and intentions, while safeguarding the rights and civil liberties of American citizens.

Every Constitutional scholar I've read who has offered an opinion on this not only indicate this legislation doesn't safeguard our rights and civil liberties but they're outright alarmed by the EROSION this 'red white and blue' bill is going to cause to our rights.

Mikulski is a goddamn liar.

[TahitiNut]

8. “Our first goal as members of Congress is to protect and safeguard the American people ..."?????

WRONG!!!

It's to protect and defend the Constitution, asshole!!

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[rodeodance]

16. SHE and others Dems have puched that from the RW.

[TahitiNut]

22. I'm VERY disappointed in Babs. Yes, she's parroting the LIE.

It's a clear, undeniable LIE. What's worse, it's a LIE that turns the American Revolution on it's head ... where the continuing THREAT to PEOPLE over many centuries has been from those in GOVERNMENT who claim to "protect" them. The FACT is that her first duty is to protect and defend the Constitution and the liberties of the People from INFRINGEMENT in the name of "protection."

It angers me no end. I detest politician who LIE to me as they pick my pocket of my liberties. :grr: :grr: :grr:

[AndyA]

9. Hey, Barbara - Benjamin Franklin had some words of advice for you:

Those willing to give up a little liberty for a little security deserve neither security nor liberty.

Too bad you didn't take him seriously.

And how about that oath of office you took? You know, the one about defending the Constitution? I don't see you supporting impeachment, and there's little doubt that process should be underway now.

Is it any wonder Congress' ratings are in the toilet? You're about to find out what it's like to be flushed.

[ProSense]

10. Why can't they be honest?

Statement from Senate Intelligence committee chairman Jay Rockefeller:

We all agreed Congress needed to take immediate action in order to help keep the country safe, and the Senate did that tonight.

My opposition to the final bill was based on the fact that it did not include the privacy protections and safeguards American citizens deserve and expect.

We had the opportunity to pass a more careful bill that would have given the DNI the authority he requested, while also protecting the rights of U.S. citizens.

Instead, this bill undermines the FISA Court and concedes unprecedented authority to the Attorney General.

It does contain the six-month sunset that we insisted upon, and that gives us an immediate opportunity and responsibility to come back and strike the right balance.

Greenwald: New FISA Law Means Admin ‘Can Listen To Every Single International Call That You Make’

"The Fourth Amendment generally forbids the government to engage in wiretaps..."


Enough with the excuses!

[dennis4868]

11. It's amazing....

Instead of Bush getting impeached for admitting to comitting felonies by his administration listening to our phone call without a warrant/probable cause, the damn Dems are supporting it and giving him even more unconstitutional authority than ever before.

What the hell has gone on in this country?

Someone needs to tell the senator from my home state of Maryland that she took an oath to protect and defend the US Const not the american people....what an arse!

[Nutmegger]

12. Protect Amurika!!! TERRA! TERRA!! TERRA!!!

:eyes:

Bu-bu-but, FISA has worked (WELL) in the past.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States' secret surveillance court in 2006 did not reject any of the more than 2,000 government requests for permission to conduct electronic surveillance and physical searches, according to a Justice Department report released Tuesday.

Of the 2,181 applications submitted to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court last year, 2,176 were approved and five were withdrawn; one of those was resubmitted and one was partially accepted.

Since 2001, the year of the disastrous September 11 attacks, only four requests have been denied.

The warrants are used by the intelligence community to investigate suspected terrorists and spies and gather information about other national security threats. They are mandated by FISA, which was enacted in 1978 to regulate the government's ability to spy on U.S. citizens and residents.

Full article: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/01/fisa.court/index.html

Here are some more details on the record of the FISA Court (the Court established in 1978 by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act).

According to this table compiled from DOJ statistics at the EPIC website, the FISA Court did not reject a single warrant application from its beginning in 1979 through 2002. In 2003 it rejected four applications. In 2004, the number was again zero.

In one case, the Court issued supplemental orders with respect to its denial, and the Government filed with the Court a motion for reconsideration of its rulings. The Court subsequently vacated its earlier orders and granted in part and denied in part the Government's motion for reconsideration. The Government has not appealed that ruling. In 2004, the Court approved a revised application regarding this target that incorporated modifications consistent with the Court's prior order with respect to the motion for reconsideration.

In another case, the Court initially denied the application without prejudice. The Government presented amended orders to the Court later the same day, which the Court approved. Because the Court eventually approved this application, it is included in the 1724 referenced above.

Full article: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_12_11.php

It's such a bullshit argument to say that they needed to fix it to protect us from the terra. Do a search on the Yahoo or the Google.

Fucking bastards.

[Mojambo]

13. I'm so fucking sick of politicians posturing about how they are "protecting" me.

I've come to expect it from douche bag fearmongers like Bush and Cheney, but to get this crap from the "left?"

I'm just sick of it.

[rodeodance]

14. And Jim Webb said he listened to here (and 3 others on the committee)

[MissWaverly]

15. the red, white and blue party, does that mean I don't

have to send her money like I always do, becuz she no longer represents me,

Miss Waverly
Dem in Baltimore
make that pissed off Dem in Baltimore

And if she thinks they have safeguard the rights of the American people by turning oversight over to
Gonzo the Great, she is mistaken.

[leftchick]

17. hey barb, you are an asshole!

Does she think this is our first fucking season out? WTF? her first job is to PROTECT the CONSTITUTION. Not SHIT ON IT!

:argh:

[AX10]

18. I expected some honesty from her.

Rush Holt told us about the GOP's dirty tricks, yet she is still playing along with the Criminal Bushler. :eyes:

[Sparkly]

19. I have never been so disappointed in her.

I will write to her to tell her so. x(

[hootinholler]

26. I have, but I will write her once again.

We need another new Senator it seems. What cycle is she on? 2010?

-Hoot

[partylessinOhio]

20. Mik is drunk on the BushKoolAid - terra, terra, terra.

Maryland voters should make her "Gone With The Wind!"


:thumbsdown:

[LiberalEsto]

21. Time for Babs to retire

She seems to have forgotten that she used to be a Democrat, and that she's supposed to protect the Constitution. I'd like to see a real progressive run for her seat, but unfortunately we'll probably get Van Hollen.

I used to like Van Hollen; I worked on his first run for Congress. But now that he's announced that impeachment would be a waste of valuable time and resources for Congress, it seems obvious that he has started drinking the DLC Koolade.

[Captain Hilts]

25. And we've got Chris van Hollen ready to take her seat......nt

[Terri S]

23. wow...and she even brings up 9/11 too...

Change a few words and this could be a W speech.

[Metta]

24. Kool-aid and hiding behind the flag. Always works for me in place of sound intelligence.

Those bastards.

[Marnieworld]

27. Protect us from our own gov't Babs

This is more of a threat to all of us than whatever a handful of terrorists can come up with. The oath is to the Constitution. You do not deserve your office if you don't understand basic American History.

[warren pease]

28. Why does such an obvious dumb-ass hold a seat on the intelligence committee? n/t

[TZ]

29. Oh yes, lets replace one of the most liberal Senators

in the country because she voted the wrong way once. I am disappointed in her vote okay?. But overall she has one of the most LIBERAL voting records period. Oh and considering how close the election of the other Senate seat in Maryland was, if the liberal core abandons a PROVEN liberal and we are likely to see someone like Michael Steele--a lying far right neocon who is charming and deceptive put in her place.

[Deja Q]

30. How about individuals who see suspicious activity just like how protected corps might?

:shrug:

Or are the only American citizens known as "corporations"?

Yes, Al Quaeda wants to exterminate us all. No argument from me on that. But for individuals who would see the same no-no things as their corporate brethren?

[Skidmore]

31. Barb as Hillary's back.

Plain and simple. Both are dressed in camouflage.