The Democrats Are Putting The Terrorists Interests Before National Security

The Democrats have shut down the debate process in order to preserve a terrorist loophole!

Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter did something unusual however, in the hearing on legislation to extend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act–she announced at the start of the hearing that no amendments of any type would be allowed for debate. Committee Democrats followed Slaughter’s lead and voted against amendments to: authorize surveillance of those engaged in the creation of Weapons of Mass Destruction; authorize surveillance of foreign terrorists outside the United States; extend liability protection to telecommunications companies that relied on government directives and shared information deemed necessary for protection from terrorist attack; and, allow a debate on the Bush administration’s alternative.

This is a reckless way to handle national security. House Democrats have once again shut Republicans out of the debate completely (as they did just yesterday in debate on the Internet Tax Freedom Act). They’ve used their position of power to give terrorists working with WMD a ‘grace period’ while U.S. intelligence agencies go to court for permission to tap them. They’ve abused the process to preserve the fatal flaws in their own bill:

House Democrats are shutting down debate to ram through a bill that will ensure repeats of episodes like this one, where U.S. soldiers in Iraq had to wait for hours to search for a missing comrade, while lawyers in Washington prepared a legal brief:

In the early hours of May 12, seven U.S. soldiers–including Spc. Jimenez–were on lookout near a patrol base in the al Qaeda-controlled area of Iraq called the “Triangle of Death.”

Sometime before dawn, heavily armed al Qaeda gunmen quietly cut through the tangles of concertina wire surrounding the outpost of two Humvees and made a massive and coordinated surprise attack.

Four of the soldiers were killed on the spot and three others were taken hostage.

A search to rescue the men was quickly launched. But it soon ground to a halt as lawyers - obeying strict U.S. laws about surveillance - cobbled together the legal grounds for wiretapping the suspected kidnappers.

Starting at 10 a.m. on May 15, according to a timeline provided to Congress by the director of national intelligence, lawyers for the National Security Agency met and determined that special approval from the attorney general would be required first.

For an excruciating nine hours and 38 minutes, searchers in Iraq waited as U.S. lawyers discussed legal issues and hammered out the “probable cause” necessary for the attorney general to grant such “emergency” permission.

Finally, approval was granted and, at 7:38 that night, surveillance began.

And here’s the $64,000 question: why are Democrats closing down all debate? Because they know a majority of the House is against the Democratic leadership on this and other security issues. When the House approved a temporary extension of FISA that was consistent with White House recommendations, 41 Democrats voted with nearly all House Republicans to pass a strong bipartisan bill. Democratic leaders couldn’t allow that to happen again.

We can only hope that the Members of the Rules Committee who imposed this reckless plan to shield terrorists face stiff questions from their constituents. Those members are Jim McGovern (D-MA), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Michael Arcuri (D-NY), and Louise Slaughter (D-NY).

UPDATE: House rules preserve the right of the minority to offer one ‘motion to recommit’ the bill. When that vote comes up, Republicans will call for a vote on whether to amend the bill to include the following simple language:

Nothing in this Act [H.R. 3773] or the amendments made by this Act shall be construed to prohibit the intelligence community (as defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4))) from conducting surveillance needed to prevent Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, or any other foreign terrorist organization designated under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) from attacking the United States or any United States person.

Do Democrats really want to go on the record shielding terrorists? This vote will give them that chance.

Ace:

After approving common-sense improvements in the process before the elections, they are now seeking to repeal the very law they voted for now that they’ve safely won Congress and have the advantages of incumbency to stave off challengers.

Memeorandum has a ton of links

Bookmark to: