February 14, 2008 – Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) gave the following comments today regarding the decision of Democratic Leadership to allow the Protect America Act (PAA) to expire.  The PAA updates the outdated intelligence law (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA), allowing America’s intelligence agencies to conduct surveillance on foreign terrorist communications.

“Allowing one of the most critical foreign surveillance laws passed by this Congress to expire is a blatant dereliction of duty on the part of Democratic leadership.” said Franks.  “Democrats seem to be in denial of the fact that terrorists don’t take a recess when Congress does.  Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell has pleaded before Members of Congress on multiple occasions on behalf of the intelligence community to fix gaps in our intelligence gathering that was allowing more than two-thirds of all foreign terrorist communications to be missed.  That is monumental considering that only one of those missed communications could have the potential of resulting in another 9/11.

“The Senate successfully passed a bi-partisan FISA modernization bill this week, and House Democratic leadership knows that if that bill was brought before the House—as it should have been yesterday—it would have more than enough support to pass. 

“Despite their rhetoric, the only political statement they are making in allowing the Act to expire is that they care more about fictional ‘Constitutional rights’ of foreign-based terrorists than they do about the security of American citizens— and that is unconscionable.

“The President has stated his willingness to delay his Africa trip in order to sign the FISA modernization bill.  The least Democratic leadership can do is make our national security a higher priority than adjourning for the holiday weekend, and allow a vote on this absolutely critical legislation.”