Westmoreland: Democratic Obstruction Puts Nation at Risk

“This week has been one of the low points of my congressional career, and I’m shocked beyond belief that House Democrats refused to even let us vote on the Protect America Act, even after it passed by a wide, bipartisan margin in the Senate,” Westmoreland said. “Instead of continuing to provide our law enforcement and intelligence agencies the tools they need to monitor terrorists and disrupt plots, the Democrats decided to ignore the war on terror and focus on witch hunts and show trials this week.” 

Westmoreland took part in the House Republican walkout Thursday to protest a partisan resolution to hold former White House aides in contempt. 

“Let me state this as simply as possible: Congressional leaders have known since August the Protect America Act was going to expire. Instead of taking up this legislation that keeps Americans safe, the House this week held a circus hearing about one man’s alleged steroid use, voted to hold White House employees in contempt of Congress for the first time in history and changed a law that governs how rats and other pests are killed – I wish that I was exaggerating for comedic effect but I’m not.” 

The Protect America Act allows the United States to monitor the communications of foreign terrorists without a warrant, allowing for quick responses to threats as they develop. The authority is not used for spying on American citizens. Delaying a permanent fix puts our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in the most immediate danger because, as of tomorrow, the government reverts back to the old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which caused delays in getting real-time intelligence to soldiers on the front lines of the war. 

Further, the PAA shields private companies, mainly telecommunications businesses, that have cooperated with the government requests from civil or criminal liability. Without retroactive liability protection, the private sector would become less willing to help government efforts to defend the country; at worst, they would cease helping us at all. This uncertainty risks creating intelligence gaps and damaging our intelligence professionals' ability to protect the nation. 

“I fully support giving protection to companies that have answered our nation’s call for help,” Westmoreland said. “These companies simply did what they were asked to do by the government agencies charged with protecting our families. They did what any good American would do. We’re begging and pleading to take action on a bill to protect our country and the Democrats are focused on pandering to trial lawyers. They are playing with fire when it comes to national security. We could all pay a heavy price for their lack of action.”