Senate Proceeding on Jul 9th, 2008 :: 1:37:54 to 1:42:08
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1:37:41 to 1:37:54( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: greater need for tough oversight. sometimes the -- when the director of the c.i.a. calls me -- and i don't think i'm saying anything privileged here here -- and he wants to tell me about something

1:37:47 to 1:38:01( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: are trying to discuss here. we're talking about spying on u.s. citizens. and we want to protect our country's national security and we want to also protect americans and make sure that there is accountability

1:37:54 to 1:38:05( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: good that's happened, it's a secure conversation on a secure phone. and i said, look, when i hear from you, i want to hear what you want to tell me that's good. i also want to hear from you something

1:37:54 to 1:42:08( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Maria Cantwell

1:38:01 to 1:38:17( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: of checks and balance that our founding fathers thought through in the constitution. i recognize that some of the changes have made to this bill some people see as vast improvements. i think that

1:38:05 to 1:38:14( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: which is not working right. and so we've -- that's the pattern that's developing. they're a little more timid about coming up to us. we have to negotiate more to have them come before us. but we do it

1:38:14 to 1:38:25( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: because we need them and they need our oversight oversight. they are not free to do entirely what they want to do but we have to give them the full right to keep us safe and yet balance, as we

1:38:17 to 1:38:32( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: they are changes that seem to somewhat be cosmetic but don't go to the privacy rights of protecting americans. the administration wants to make sure that no court has the opportunity to review the

1:38:25 to 1:38:39( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: do, i believe, in this bill civil liberty protections. so i just simply close, mr. president, by congratulating all people involved. i think for a subject which was meant to be understood by so few

1:38:32 to 1:38:50( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: potential illegal activity that's part of this bill and that's of great concern to me. the bill permits the government to collect all americans' international communications, even communications

1:38:39 to 1:38:53( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: in -- in this body, many, many, many people have expressed views on the floor, to many of us in private, it's been the subject of caucus discussions, you know, it's -- it's a major, major piece

1:38:50 to 1:39:02( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: of innocent americans with no connection to terrorism or national security concerns. this bulk collection of innocent americans' private communication is unacceptable and contrary to americans' values

1:38:53 to 1:39:10( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: of legislation. and i urge my colleagues to oppose the three remaining amendments, and i urge my colleagues to vote "yes" on final passage. they will serve their nation well. i yield the floor. mr. nelson:

1:39:02 to 1:39:14( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: and the fundamentals of our constitutional protection. while thewh administration has ignod the congressional mandate that the foreign intelligence surveillance act is the exclusive means for conducting

1:39:10 to 1:39:28( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from florida. mr. nelson: mr. president, is there an order a established here under unanimous consent? the presiding officer: there are the minutes

1:39:14 to 1:39:30( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: wiretapping activities on american citizens, congress cannot ignore the weighty constitutional issues being decided here today. just last week, the federal district court, judge walker rejected the

1:39:28 to 1:39:40( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: remaining for the senator from wisconsin, mr. feingold. and nine minutes for the senator from missouri, mr. bond. mr. nelson: would the senator allow me to have a couple of moments? [inaudible] mr.

1:39:30 to 1:39:42( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: administration's claims that the president's constitutional authority trumps the fisa law. basically they were saying, in effect, that they cannot use the certain provisions of the -- to stop the legality

1:39:40 to 1:39:52( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: nelson: what's the parliamentary procedure since senator feingold is not here, is that locked in just for him? okay. then i would just ask consent, since there's not any time left, i would ask consent

1:39:42 to 1:39:54( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: of surveillance of having these issues in our court cases. i'm also troubled that the telecom companies will not be held accountable for participation in the bush administration's warrantless surveillance

1:39:52 to 1:40:01( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: that i be able to put a statement in the record at this point in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. a senator: mr. president? mr. rockefeller: mr. president, might i just inquire

1:39:54 to 1:40:10( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: program. congress should not be providing blanket immunity for telecommunication companies tt cooperate with the administration's warrantless wiretap programs. the bill effectively grants the retroactive immunity of

1:40:01 to 1:40:10( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: whether that is entirely necessary or rather the parliamentarian -- is that entirely necessary? i mean, the senator does wish to speak. we aren't starting votes quite yet there. doesn't seem to

1:40:10 to 1:40:22( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: be a total limit on that time set for that and the senator has been wanting to speak for a number of days. and i would be happy if he would be able to do that. the presiding officer: there are only

1:40:10 to 1:40:28( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: these companies and i think it's very important that we understand the judicial process that is taking place here. the presiding officer: the senator's time has expired. ms. cantwell: i thank the president.

1:40:22 to 1:40:33( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: three minutes left on the majority side for senator feingold. but by unanimous consent -- mr. rockefeller: what about leader's time? the presiding officer: only the leader has leader time. mr. rockefeller:

1:40:28 to 1:40:40( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: mr. bond: mr. president, how much time do i have snreft. the pres iding officer: nine minutes. mrs.. bond: i yield a minute and a half to my distinguished colleague from florida. mr. nelson: well,

1:40:33 to 1:40:46( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: and that is correct. a senator: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from washington. mrs. murray: mr. president -- ms. cantwell: mr. president, i rise to speak on this issue and i did just get

1:40:40 to 1:40:50( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: i am grateful to the vice chairman. and i just want to say -- and i will do it in a minute and a half -- how much i appreciate the chairman and the vice chairman being able to come up with a product

1:40:46 to 1:40:58( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: time from senator feingold so if there is a minute or two left, i'm happy to yield whatever time to theat senator from florida. but like him, i come to the floor wanting to speak on this important

1:40:50 to 1:41:09( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: that we need so that we get some certainty about the court review of this process so that we can balance this interest of going after the terrorists but at the same time protecting the civil liberties

1:40:58 to 1:41:10( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: issue. i know that we've had many discussions about it and many people have been focusing on it, but i think it's very important that we consider this legislation in the most serious fashion that

1:41:09 to 1:41:20( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: of american citizens and american persons that are here legally in the country. and i think the bill does that. and we've struggled with it for -- for a year and a half in our committee. and i'm certainly

1:41:10 to 1:41:25( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: i know my colleagues are doing, but to think about the long-term consequences. while proponents of the bill claim that it has been designed to monitor foreign-to-foreign communications that pass

1:41:20 to 1:41:36( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: going to support the final product. now, there are obviously, mr. president, some matters that we've had in the intelligence committee that we are not able to discuss here and i'm sure that the people

1:41:25 to 1:41:39( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: through the united states without a warrant, i believe the bill actually goes much further, providing a broad expansion of authority to conduct domestic surveillance. that's what many of my colleagues

1:41:36 to 1:41:47( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: listening understand that. i just want to say on the controversial issue of immunity, i don't believe in blanket immunity for the phone companies and that's why when this issue was in front of our intelligence

1:41:39 to 1:41:53( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: are trying to discuss here. we're talking about spying on u.s. citizens. and we want to protect our country's national security and we want to also protect americans and make sure that there is accountability

1:41:47 to 1:41:57( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: committee i offered language to deny them imbut it failed, my amendmt, and it failed miserably. and so when it came to the floor, i offered a compromise to the full senate along with senator feinstein that

1:41:53 to 1:42:09( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: of checks and balance that our founding fathers thought through in the constitution. i recognize that some of the changes have made to this bill some people see as vast improvements. i think that

1:41:57 to 1:42:08( Edit History Discussion )

Maria Cantwell: would have required a special court to review the phone companies' action but that failed as well. and my final sentence, mr. president, now i'm backing an amendment by senator bingaman that would at least

1:42:08 to 1:42:18( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: delay immunity until an investigation is complete and that will allow us time to change some minds if the real wrongdoing is found. thank you, mr. president. mr. bond: mr. president? the presiding

1:42:08 to 1:43:34( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Bill Nelson