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Van Hollen Statement on the FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 (H.R. 5949)
Washington,
Sep 12, 2012 -
Mr. Speaker—
I rise in opposition to the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2012. Clearly, we must work to ensure that our intelligence and law enforcement communities continue to have the tools they need to protect American citizens. It is critically important, however, that in our effort to defend the liberties we cherish, we not enact measures that erode the very freedoms we seek to protect.
This legislation, in its current form, still contains flaws which fail to ensure robust oversight of this program. Specifically, some of the amendments offered by my colleagues on the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees to increase transparency and shorten the sunset should have been included in the final bill. Unfortunately, we are considering this legislation under a closed rule, and no amendments can be offered to the full House.
We must work to reauthorize this program in a balanced way that provides our experts with the authority they need to protect Americans while upholding the values enshrined in our Constitution. I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to reform these provisions so that we don’t need to make the false choice between security and freedom.
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Congressman Chris Van Hollen
