Statement Regarding Telecom Immunity

(Washington, DC)  —  Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) made the following statement regarding an update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA):

“There should be no mistake, I opposed the existing Protect America Act with my voice and my vote against it last August. As it currently stands, however, I also oppose giving immunity to telecom companies which may have violated the law if they engaged in wiretapping of American citizens without a warrant or court approval.

“I chose between the lesser of two evils –a temporary extension of a law I oppose to stave off being forced to accept a law that violates my principles and our Constitutional rights.

“It is very clear that we need to protect our country and its citizens from those that would do us harm, however, we need not choose between our security and our liberty we can have both.”