[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3] [House] [Page 3653] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]{time} 1215 PRESS AND PUBLIC ARE NOT BUYING INTO SCARE TACTICS OF BUSH AND REPUBLICANS (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that no one is buying into the scare tactics created by the President and some Republicans regarding the expiration of the President's Protect America Act. Newspapers around the country are rightfully asking Republicans that if this law were so crucial to national security, why did they oppose an extension of it last month? The Saint Louis Post-Dispatch called this intimidation and ``fear mongering at its most craven.'' The Oregonian wasn't fooled by the President's political actions, writing: ``If the Protect America Act is as crucial as he says it is, then he is taking a terrible gamble with the safety of his country's citizens.'' The Palm Beach Post recognized that ``political distraction'' is more important to this administration than the law. They wrote, ``The law that Mr. Bush and some Republicans say is vital could have been extended for 3 weeks. Instead, they let it die.'' Mr. Speaker, House Democrats are serious about passing a strong FISA law that provides our intelligence community with the tools necessary to protect our national security, and we urge congressional Republicans and the White House to join us at the table. ____________________