Steiner on FISA

Steiner For Congress                                                                     P.O. Box 2008                                                                Concord, NH  03302                                                                www.joinjim2008.com Press Release:   Candidate for Congress Jim Steiner is a former Green Beret and Military Intelligence Officer. He is keenly aware of the price being paid by pushing back onto the intelligence services additional requirements that slow down the processing of fleeting and real-time intelligence missions.   "Months ago a bipartisan Senate, by an overwelming majority, passed a reasonable FISA law, intended to authorize our intelligence services to continue performing their tasks to protect America, and giving telecommunications companies legal protection from frivolous law suits.  The House of Representatives, rather than pass similiar legislation, took a vacation.    The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ("FISA") still languishes on the House table.  According to Cong. Boehner (R-OH), a bipartisan majority of congressional members are willing to pass a law similar to the one passed by the Senate.  The current leadership will not bring it to a vote.  I agree with Cong. Boehner that in order to show support for our troops it is the duty of Congress to pass the same law passed by their Senate colleagues, Republican and Democrat alike, to protect the military, and to protect U.S. citizens.  It is that simple.  It is not a partisan issue, as there is confidence a majority will vote for the Senate version of the law IF it is allowed to come up for a vote.  It is well past time, nearly two months past, for Congress to join the ranks of a bipartisan Senate over granting retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that served the needs of their country after 9/11.  Meanwhile,  while it languishes, security goes down the drain."