FISA Fight: House leadership responds to Bush

Bush spent the morning fear mongering leading up to today's imminent [budget debate going slowly] vote on the critical FISA bill. House Dem leadership hits back:

Q: "Are you saying the President is lying?"

A: Speaker Pelosi: "That’s the same question I got in 2001 when they asked me when I said ‘the intelligence on Iraq does not support the threat, of an imminent threat, to our country’ that the Administration is contending...I said then, and I say now, I am stating a fact. The President is wrong and he knows it."

Steny Hoyer: "...The White House insistence that Congress provide telecommunications companies that participated in the President’s surveillance program with blanket immunity is neither justified nor in keeping with our nation’s legal tradition. In essence, the President is asking Congress to immunize companies for their conduct – despite the fact that Congress is not sure what conduct it would be immunizing, and despite the fact that serious questions have been raised about the legality of the surveillance program. Congress owes the American people more than blind obeisance to the Executive Branch...."

James Clyburn: "The absurd and outrageous allegations made by President Bush this morning that FISA legislation being considered in the House would make America less safe are false and misleading.... I encourage the President to stop the scare tactics and work with Congress on legislation that improves our national security and moves our country in a New Direction."

Standing up to Bush, passing the House bill--and getting as many Blue Dogs as possible voting yes will send a message to Bush--but more importantly to the Senate--that this is a reasonable and responsible solution on retroactive amnesty, and will further isolate Rockefeller and his cronies.

Update: According to Kossacks, word from Rep. Space's office is that he will support HR 3773. This report from CQ says that Rep. Boswell will also support it. Good on them. Also, the CQ article reports that Republicans are seeking a Secret Session on this. They probably won't get it, but I'll update on that as necessary.

Update II: A reader e-mails reporting that the offices of Moore, Boyd, Barrow, and Barry say they will support the bill.