Press Releases

"Earlier this month, Congress passed S. 1927, an interim response to your Administration's proposal for changes in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). That legislation, which you signed into law, expires in six months. At our request, the House and Senate Judiciary and Intelligence Committees will be conducting thorough oversight of the implementation of these interim changes, and are working to produce a longer-term response to your proposal for Congress to consider well in advance of the expiration of the current law."

"'For a long time the Administration has hidden behind the name of General David Petraeus, saying the September report will be his. We all knew this would be the President's report. It is now clear that the White House will seek to limit involvement by General Petraeus in reporting to the Congress and to the American people next month."

"'Securing our border remains a top priority for the New Direction Congress. By strong bipartisan majorities, the Democratic-led Congress has already passed tough border security measures this year - two bills that significantly enhance security at our borders and add at least 3,000 new border patrol agents. After today's announcement, we hope that the Administration will work with Congress to pass meaningful immigration reform.'"

"'Today, the President signed into law the America COMPETES Act - yet another American priority put forward by the Democratic-led Congress that has taken our country in a New Direction after years of stalled progress in Washington. In the past few weeks, the President agreed to finally implement the independent 9/11 Commission recommendations - signing into law the first bill we voted on in the House, helping us make America safer - and the first federal minimum wage increase in a decade took effect, giving millions an overdue pay raise."

"'Tonight, Barry Bonds etched his name into baseball's history books and took his rightful place among the sport's immortals."

"'The New Direction Congress passed a responsible budget that restores fiscal responsibility and makes up for disastrous cuts the President has made to vital services for Americans. Our responsible budget is seven-tenths of one percent different from his spending plan. In the House, we have passed all 12 appropriations bills with bipartisan support, with an average of 50 Republican votes each. And finally, our responsible budget restores pay-as-you-go budgeting, making no new spending commitment without a way to pay for it."

"'Today, the House propelled America's energy policy into the future with the passage of the 'New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act.' Energy independence is a national security issue, an economic issue, an environmental and health issue, and a moral issue."

"Tonight, the House passed S. 1927, a bill approved by the Senate yesterday, which is an interim response to the Administration's request for changes in FISA, and which was sought to fill an intelligence gap which is asserted to exist. Many provisions of this legislation are unacceptable, and, although the bill has a six month sunset clause, I do not believe the American people will want to wait that long before corrective action is taken."