[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 74 (Thursday, May 14, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S2898]




                               FISA DATA

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, yesterday the House of Representatives voted 
overwhelmingly--with approximately 330 votes--to end the bulk 
collection of Americans' phone records. Last week a Federal court, the 
Second Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled that the Federal Government's 
bulk collection program is illegal.
  The majority leader seems prepared to lead the Senate into 
reauthorizing an illegal program. He has spoken here on the floor in 
that regard. So how can one reauthorize something that is illegal?
  This is not a partisan issue. Democrats and Republicans are united in 
favor of reforming the National Security Agency and how they collect 
their data.
  The House, yesterday, as I indicated, voted in favor of reform, 
overwhelmingly, but Republicans in the Senate want to move forward 
without making any changes. I don't think so.
  The Republican leader is isolated in his desire for a clean extension 
of illegal spying programs. For example, the chairman of the Judiciary 
Committee in the House of Representatives, Mr. Goodlatte, said 
yesterday that if the House gets an extension of FISA--the Foreign 
Intelligence Surveillance Act--it will go nowhere. It is dead, 
according to the chairman.
  Republicans and Democrats have vowed to filibuster a clean extension 
if the Republican leader brings one to the floor. That is what is going 
to happen here in the Senate. I have heard extended statements by the 
junior Senator from Kentucky, who said that. There are others who feel 
the same way. Even if my friend plows forward in the face of what the 
bipartisan opposition is to this matter, it will take at least a week 
to secure the vote. And maybe that isn't even possible.
  We have a chance to take bipartisan action that protects Americans' 
civil liberties. It would be irresponsible for us to squander this 
opportunity.

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