A few days ago, I contacted my local U.S. Representative, Charles Boustany (no really, check out his voting record), about the FISA legislation about to be voted on by the House. I had a pretty good idea of what his reply would be like, but I sent my email anyway - it's important to let him know that not everyone in his district agrees with his Bush-Rubberstamping that passes for legislating. In any case, here is an excerpt from the reply I received:
One of the more controversial issues throughout this debate has been the role of telecommunications companies following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Allegations of improper activities and privacy violations have been levied against these companies. While the White House wanted to grant full immunity to these companies before any case could be brought against them, H.R. 6304 establishes a federal court review process to determine whether or not the activities were conducted in a lawful manner. In no way does this legislation grant immediate immunity to any company facing such allegations.
On June 20, 2008, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6304 by a vote of 293 - 129. The Senate is expected to quickly pass the legislation. It is vital that our intelligence community have the necessary tools to collect and analyze information that will protect our country from future attacks. It is equally important that the Constitution and our civil liberties are protected. These values and respect for the rule of law have made us the greatest country in the world and we cannot lose sight of these traits in the fight against extremists who wish to destroy this nation. Rest assured, I will keep your views in mind as Congress continues to work on legislation to enhance our national security.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns with me on this matter.
Sincerely,
Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D.Member of Congress
Anyway, like I said, it was expected. But, here's a little hope. Democratic State Senator Donald Cravins, Jr. has announced that he's in the race for Boustany's seat. So we'll see. Maybe the days of rubberstamping are numbered.
