House Rejects 21-Day Extension of FISA in 191-229 Vote

[slipslidingaway]

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll054.xml

http://www.capitalnews.org/

http://cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002670346

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Nevermind

I'm surprised that Kucinich voted with the GOP. Sorry about my confusion. :blush:

[slipslidingaway]

8. Maybe it's best to let the bill from August expire in 2 days???

Just a guess.

:shrug:

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/spying/34002leg20080206.html

“Richard A. Clarke, former head of counterterrorism at the National Security Council said it best when he wrote in Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer, `Let me be clear: Our ability to track and monitor terrorists overseas would not cease should the Protect America Act expire. If this were true, the president would not threaten to terminate any temporary extension with his veto pen….For this president, fear is an easier political tactic than compromise. With FISA, he is attempting to rattle Congress into hastily expanding his own executive powers at the expense of civil liberties and constitutional protections.’”

[Robbien]

2. Blue Dogs join hands with GOPers once again

from the cqpolitics link:

n a revolt against the Democratic leadership, the House on Wednesday defeated a 21-day extension of a temporary law governing electronic surveillance.

Dozens of Democrats defected, as the short-term bill failed, 191-229.

The stunning rebuff followed a parliamentary war that raged all day on the floor. Democrats successfully tabled, 222-196, an appeal from the ruling of the chair that a GOP motion to recommit the 21-day extension and amend it with the text of the Senate bill was non-germane.

But that procedural vote — typically a party-unity test — was not the end of the story, as soon became clear. Instead, the stopgap measure (HR 5349) was torpedoed on final passage. Not a single Republican voted for the extension, while 34 Democrats — a mix of liberals and conservatives — voted “no.”

Silvestre Reyes , D-Texas, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said the next step on the surveillance legislation was unclear.

House Republicans earlier engineered a series of procedural protest votes against the extension, which President Bush said he would veto. They argued that the House should simply take up and send to the White House a surveillance overhaul bill (HR 3773) that the Senate passed Tuesday.

A temporary surveillance law (PL 110-55) is set to expire Feb. 16, a day after Congress begins its Presidents Day recess. Democratic leaders say the government can continue to operate its spying programs under permanent law, obtaining warrants for new surveillance. Republicans say expiration of the temporary law would harm the nation’s security.

Twenty-one conservative Blue Dog Democrats had previously endorsed the Senate-passed bill, leading Republicans to believe they could win approval of that measure through a motion to recommit the extension with instructions to amend it with the text of the Senate bill.

Kevin Smith, a spokesman for Minority Leader John A. Boehner , R-Ohio, said, “Twenty-one Blue Dogs will be able to vote their conscience.”

No direct vote was allowed on the Senate -passed bill — at least not immediately.

The shorter, stopgap measure was designed to give House and Senate conferees time to resolve their differences over the long-term legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. A temporary law (PL 110-55) expires Feb. 16, a day after lawmakers leave for the Presidents Day recess.

After hours of delaying tactics, the House adopted the rule for debate of the extension bill by 206-199.

[Kolesar]

4. That is confusing

what does the 21 day extension mean?

[Robbien]

5. It is confusing. GOPers were pushing a power play

The extension would have given the conference time to hammer out a compromise bill.

GOPers said, no extension needed. Just pass the immunity bill the Senate passed and all will be good.

No extension granted, but the Senate bill was also not put up for a vote.

Right now, the Teleco bill expires while the bill goes to conference.

[Kolesar]

6. Thank you!

[slipslidingaway]

9. Sure can make one's head spin :) n/t

[ThomWV]

3. It simply means that the non-immunity version they already passed goes to Conference

That is where the next fight is, in the Conference Committee. Pray the House version prevails because the rule of law depends on it.

[slipslidingaway]

10. At this point might it be better to let the bill expire instead of

giving the administration what they want? So many Democrats are voting with the administration. The Dem leaders, as well as Clinton and Obama, need to explain to the American people what it is that Bush wants and the implications for privacy and corporate responsibility going forward.

:shrug:

[slipslidingaway]

7. List of various votes today on the FISA bill...

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/index.asp

54 13-Feb H R 5349 On Passage F To extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 days.

53 13-Feb H R 5349 Table Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair P To extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 days.


51 13-Feb H RES 976 Table Motion to Reconsider P Providing for consideration of H.R. 5349, to extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 days

50 13-Feb H RES 976 On Agreeing to the Resolution P Providing for consideration of H.R. 5349, to extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 days

49 13-Feb H RES 976 Table Motion to Reconsider P Providing for consideration of H.R. 5349, to extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 days

48 13-Feb H RES 976 On Ordering the Previous Question P Providing for consideration of H.R. 5349, to extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 days



CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF FEBRUARY 13, 2008
110TH CONGRESS - SECOND SESSION

http://clerk.house.gov/floorsummary/floor.html

"4:11 P.M. -
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of certain motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

H.R. 5349:
to extend the Protect America Act of 2007 for 21 days

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On passage Failed by recorded vote: 191 - 229 (Roll no. 54).


4:01 P.M. -
On motion to table the appeal of the ruling of the Chair Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 222 - 196 (Roll no. 53).

3:36 P.M. -
Mr. Conyers moved to table the appeal of the ruling of the Chair.

3:35 P.M. -
Mr. Smith (TX) appealed the ruling of the chair. The question was then put on sustaining the ruling of the chair.

3:31 P.M. -
Mr. Conyers raised a point of order against the motion to recommit with instructions. Mr. Conyers stated that the amendment contained in the motion to recommit with instructions was not germane and should not be considered. Sustained by the Chair.
Point of order sustained against the motion to recommit with instructions.

Mr. Smith (TX) moved to recommit with instructions to Judiciary.


3:07 P.M. -
DEBATE - Pursuant to H. Res. 976, the House resumed debate on H.R. 5349."