For Release: March 4, 2008
Contact: J. Tucker Martin or David Clementson
Email: tucker.martin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us
Phone: 804-786-2071
McDonnell Joins 25 Attorneys General in Bipartisan Call for Immediate U.S. House Passage of FISA Amendments Act of 2007
Letter Calls on U.S. House to Immediately Restore Critical National Security Protections
Washington, D.C. - Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell today joined Republican and Democrat Attorneys General from across the country in signing a letter to United States House of Representatives leaders calling for a full vote on, and passage of, the FISA Amendments Act of 2007. The joint letter from the Attorneys General to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland), Minority Leader John Boehnor (R-Ohio), and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) was sent one day after the Attorneys General met with President George W. Bush on this issue. The Attorneys General are currently in Washington D.C. for the annual meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General.
In August of 2007, the Protect America Act was signed into law by the President. This law amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to eliminate the requirement to procure a warrant for purposes of monitoring communications between suspected terrorists located in foreign countries. Unfortunately, due to a sunset provision, The Protect America Act expired last month.
In anticipation of the bill’s expiration, the Senate passed last month the FISA Amendments Act of 2007, S. 2248, written by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-West Virginia). The Amendment Act would reestablish the legal authority for intelligence agencies to monitor suspected foreign terrorists located outside the United States, without having to obtain a warrant. It would also provide retroactive immunity to private telecommunication companies who have assisted with this effort in years prior. The bill passed the full Senate 68-29.
However, the House Democratic leadership has refused to schedule a vote on this critical piece of national security legislation. This failure has severely limited U.S. intelligence gathering capabilities since the expiration of the Protect America Act several weeks ago.
“This failure to act on a matter of critical importance to our national security is unacceptable,” McDonnell said. “I have joined my fellow Attorneys General in calling on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to act immediately to get this bill on the floor and to a vote. Overwhelmingly, leaders in our intelligence community understand the importance of this intelligence gathering tool in combating global terrorism. Our intelligence community cannot be handcuffed when it comes to gathering the critical foreign intelligence necessary to secure our citizens and our communities.”
In the letter, which you can read by clicking here, the Attorneys General write, “As Attorneys General, we are our states’ chief law enforcement officials and therefore responsible for taking whatever action is necessary to keep our citizens safe. With S. 2448 still pending in the House of Representatives, our national security is in jeopardy. We therefore urge the House of Representatives to schedule a vote and pass the FISA Amendments Act of 2007.”
