Opposing view: Track terror threats - Kit Bond

Opposing view: Track terror threats Without protection, companies will reject requests for assistance. By Kit Bond Last year, Congress passed the Protect America Act (PAA), a bill I sponsored to close dangerous intelligence gaps resulting from the outdated Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Since the PAA expired in February, our intelligence community has had limited means for tracking new terrorist threats. For months, efforts to modernize FISA were in political limbo after the House Democratic leadership refused to allow a vote on the Senate's bipartisan bill. After extensive negotiations, House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer, House Republican leader Roy Blunt and I reached a bipartisan agreement that gives the intelligence community the authority to listen to foreign terrorists and provides unprecedented civil liberty protections to Americans at home and abroad. The agreement also gives vital civil liability protection to companies that answered the call of duty after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Without such protection, it is likely our private partners will refuse to cooperate with future requests for assistance. This is a risk our nation cannot accept. Unfortunately, Sen. Barack Obama has indicated he will support an amendment to strike these liability protections. The Senate has already rejected a similar amendment and should do so again. There are some who say these companies should not be rewarded for "illegal" actions. But, as numerous courts have affirmed, our Constitution gives the president authority to engage in surveillance of foreign terrorists. We also know congressional leaders were aware of and supported the president's program. Further, the Democratic-led Senate Intelligence Committee studied the president's program and found — on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis — that the providers acted in good faith and there was no illegal conduct. There are others who say the president should have used FISA to protect us after 9/11. But, the FISA court's own rulings demonstrated FISA was inadequate for tracking terrorist threats, and the court urged Congress to update it. Despite bipartisan support, it is disappointing that some put the politics of the past before the future safety of American families. I disagree with those who think we should provide Americans less protection and who want to make it easier for terrorists to plan attacks on our families here at home and our troops in the field. The House ultimately did the right thing in passing this bill; the Senate should, too. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., is vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com