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President Bush Thursday launched a pointed attack toward House Democrats, saying that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) update they are bringing to the floor would “undermine America’s security.” Bush chided Democratic leaders for bringing to the floor a piece of legislation that they knew would be vetoed instead of holding a vote on a measure that passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support. “Their partisan legislation would extend protections we enjoy as Americans to foreign terrorists overseas,” he said in a statement from the White House. “It would cause us to lose vital intelligence on terrorist threats, and it is a risk that our country cannot afford to take.” Bush added, “Members of the House should not be deceived into thinking that voting for this unacceptable legislation would somehow move the process along.” The president also sought to slap a “do-nothing” label on the House, noting that Democratic leaders had asked for a 21-day extension last month to a temporary FISA fix that was passed in August. Bush noted that the three-week period would have lapsed Saturday “without any action from the House.” The chamber is set to take up its FISA version this week. “Congress has done little in the three weeks since the last recess, and they should not leave for their Easter recess without getting the Senate bill to my desk,” the president stated. |
