While you are reading this, somewhere in the world, a terrorist group is making fresh plans to attack the United States or our allies. And those charged with gathering information about their plans are barred from doing anything about it without needless and dangerous delays.
If this sounds dramatic, that's because it is. Until midnight on Feb. 17, our nation's intelligence officials were able to freely monitor foreign communications of suspected terrorists overseas, such as key al-Qaida leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan, to protect our nation and our interests. But today, they cannot - and they will not be able to until Congress returns to them all the tools they need to gain critical new surveillance information that could save American lives.
I have a question for John Boehner -- If the Protect America Act is so vital to keeping us safe, then why did you vote against a 3-week extension of the Act?
Today's Enquirer brings us a similar propaganda piece from Mitch McConnell. Mitch proves that he's also willing to distort the truth for political gain:
The director of national intelligence oversees 16 intelligence agencies and advises the president and Congress on how best to detect terrorist plots. A large part of this effort involves intercepting the communications of terrorists overseas. These intercepts provide vital information that keeps our nation safe.
At least, they did - until a law authorizing our intelligence officials to use this crucial element of our national defense to the fullest extent expired in mid-February. It expired because the U.S. House, under Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic leadership, refused to act.
The truth? Just yesterday, Mitch's fellow Republican, Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, blocked a Senate bill that would extend the Protect America Act for 30 days.
It's clear who the Republicans are really looking out for, and it's not us the American people. Their true agenda is protecting their big donors in the telecom industry.
