[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 6 (Monday, February 18, 2008)]
[Pages 196-198]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Remarks on Intelligence Reform Legislation and an Exchange With
Reporters
February 14, 2008
The President. Good afternoon. This Saturday at midnight,
legislation authorizing intelligence professionals to quickly and
effectively monitor terrorist communications will expire. If Congress
does not act by that time, our ability to find out who the terrorists
are talking to, what they are saying, and what they are planning will be
compromised. It would be a mistake if the Congress were to allow this to
happen.
Members of Congress knew all along that this deadline was
approaching. They said it themselves. They've had more than 6 months to
discuss and deliberate, and now they must act and pass legislation that
will ensure our intelligence professionals have the tools they need to
keep us safe.
Earlier this week, the Senate did act and passed a strong bill and
did so with a bipartisan majority. The Senate bill will ensure that we
can effectively monitor those seeking to harm our people. The Senate
bill will provide fair and just liability protection for companies that
assisted in the efforts to protect America after the attacks of
September the 11th. Without this protection, without this liability
shield, we may not be able to secure the private sector's cooperation
with our intelligence efforts. And that, of course, would put the
American people at risk.
Now it's the House's turn to act. It is clear that the Senate bill
would pass the House with bipartisan support. Republicans and Democrats
in the Senate can put partisanship aside and pass a good bill. There's
no reason why the House cannot do the same and pass the Senate bill
immediately.
Our Government has no greater responsibility than getting this work
done, and there really is no excuse for letting this critical
legislation expire. I urge congressional leaders to let the will of the
House and the American people prevail and vote on the Senate bill before
adjourning for their recess. Failure to act would harm our ability to
monitor new terrorist activities and could reopen dangerous gaps in our
intelligence. Failure to act would also make the private sector less
willing to help us protect the country, and this is unacceptable. The
House should not leave Washington without passing the Senate bill.
Now, I am scheduled to leave tomorrow for a long-planned trip to
five African nations. Moments ago, my staff informed the House
leadership that I'm prepared to delay my departure and stay in
Washington with them if it will help them complete their work on this
critical bill.
The lives of countless Americans depend on our ability to monitor
terrorist communications. Our intelligence professionals are working day
and night to keep us safe, and they're waiting to see whether Congress
will give them the tools they need to succeed or tie their hands by
failing to act. The American people are watching this debate as well.
They expect Congress to meet its responsibilities before they leave town
on a recess.
I'll answer a few questions. Ben [Ben Feller, Associated Press], if
you've got a question, I'll be prepared to answer.
President's Upcoming Visit to Africa/Intelligence Reform Legislation
Q. Thank you, Mr. President. It appears with that deadline
approaching that the House and the White House might be seen as being
engaged in a game of chicken here, playing politics with an important
intelligence law. If the law expires and something happens, wouldn't you
be at least partly to
[[Page 197]]
blame? And on your Africa trip, if you have to delay, do you think that
you would be shortening your trip at all?
The President. As to the latter, the delay depends on whether the
House acts, of course, and they got plenty of time to get this done. But
if we have to delay, we'll delay. But I'm going to go to the countries
that I said I'd go to.
And to the first case, whether or not this is politics, I certainly
hope not. I can assure you, Al Qaida in their planning isn't thinking
about politics. They're thinking about hurting the American people
again.
Who's to blame? Look, these folks in Congress passed a good bill
last--late last summer. In other words, they analyzed the situation;
they said there's a threat; and they agreed to give our professionals
the tools they needed to do the job. The problem is, they let the bill
expire.
My attitude is, if the bill was good enough then, why not pass the
bill again? I mean, the threat hasn't gone away. Secondly, they've had
plenty of time to think about how to address the issue. Thirdly, the
Senate led the way; the Senate showed how to pass a good bill with a
bipartisan majority. And the truth of the matter is, if there was a
willingness to get this problem solved, all the leadership would have to
do is submit the Senate bill for a vote.
So we'll see what happens. My attitude is, now is the time to get
the job done. There's been plenty of time to think about it, plenty of
time to debate it, and there's a good way forward. And hopefully the
House leadership will put this bill for a vote and let the Members vote
as they so desire.
Mike [Mike Emmanuel, FOX News].
Terrorist Intelligence Surveillance Program/War on Terror
Q. Mr. President, I realize this is a sensitive matter, but I'm
wondering if there's a way you can spell out for the American public
what the practical impact may be, if this law expires, on our
intelligence professionals, say, next week.
The President. Well, I hope it doesn't. But clearly, there will be a
gap. And of course, we won't be able to assess that gap until the time.
Step one is, I guess you got to come to the conclusion that there's a
threat to America or not a threat. I mean, evidently, some people just
don't feel that sense of urgency. I do. And the reason I do is I firmly
believe that there's still people out there who would do us harm.
Secondly, I know that the tools that I've just described are
necessary to protect us. Why? Because we need to know what people are
saying, what they're planning, and what they're thinking. And the tool
that I have just described has been very effective.
Thirdly, people are wondering why companies need liability
protection. Well, if you cooperate with the Government and then get sued
for billions of dollars because of the cooperation, you're less likely
to cooperate. And obviously we're going to need people working with us
to find out what the enemy is saying and thinking and plotting and
planning.
And so it's a--to me, it's a--I guess one way to look at it is, some
may not feel that same sense of urgency I do. I heard somebody say,
``Well, this is just pure politics.'' No, this is what is necessary to
protect the American people from harm. And I recognize there hasn't been
an attack on our country, but that does not mean that there's not still
an enemy that lurks, plans, and plots.
And one of the reasons we've been effective is because we put new
tools in place that give our professionals that which is necessary to
protect us. This is a different kind of threat than we've ever faced
before. It's a different kind of war that we're fighting, and it
requires a different approach.
Again, I'll repeat to you that the Congress took a look at this
issue and decided that the tools were necessary to give to our
professionals last--late last summer. And if it was necessary late last
summer, why is it not necessary today? What has changed? Well, the
threat hasn't gone away. It's still there; it's still real; and we
better be worried about it as a nation. And the House has now got time
to go out and get the deal done.
Yesterday--a couple of days--votes ago in the Senate made it
abundantly clear that Republicans and Democrats can come together and
put a good piece of legislation together and get it passed. And the
House leadership has an opportunity to do that now.
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Listen, thank you all very much.
Note: The President spoke at 1 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White
House. In his remarks, he referred to H.R. 3773.