Darrell Issa

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, the threat we face as Americans today is all too real. The recent bombings in London could have happened on American soil, and it is only through the vigilance of our many law enforcement entities that we can combat this occurrence. The PATRIOT Act, as it was originally adopted, contains many needed tools to fight those who would harm us here in America. One of those tools was the expansion of roving wiretap authority. This vital tool allowed us to reach out and touch those who had discovered that using a new cell phone every day would have gotten around existing wiretap laws. It did not take the terrorists long to realize that, and it would not take them long if that ceased to exist for them to begin using that technique prior to the PATRIOT Act. We made America safer when we expanded these surveillance authorities, because now law enforcement can continue to monitor a terrorist's activity without undue interruption. But this new authority must be balanced with our fundamental civil liberties. It is not that law enforcement has ever misused the roving wiretap provision. I repeat: law enforcement has not been, through our oversight, seen to have abused the roving wiretap provision. However, this is such a serious, serious potential that we must take all measures necessary to ensure that it will not be in the future. For that reason, I seek to amend H.R. 3199 to add a level of judicial oversight not in the current bill. The current bill gives the issuing court blanket discretion on when law enforcement must report back on a roving wiretap. My amendment requires law enforcement to report back to the court within 15 days of using the roving aspect of the warrant. My amendment also requires law enforcement to report on the total number of electronic surveillances that have been conducted. These are simple steps that will help guard against possible abuses in the future, while doing nothing to hamper the value of the roving wiretap. Mr. Chairman, I thoroughly appreciate the opportunity to offer this amendment; but I also want to comment that we have, as a committee, worked like never before on a bipartisan basis to dramatically improve a law when it came to civil liberties that already had good teeth when it came to the security of our people. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to assure the gentlewoman from California that her concerns on electronic data and the fact that in an era of VOIP that we do have to look at that. I serve with the gentlewoman in California on many of the caucuses that deal with that. I look forward to both in Judiciary and, quite candidly, in other committees of jurisdiction here in the Congress to continue to work on properly identifying and modernizing how that is going to be interpreted. I think it is beyond the scope of the PATRIOT Act today, but it certainly is not beyond the Congress to have to bring things up to snuff, and I look forward to working with the gentlewoman from California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for yielding me this time, and I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff). I have the distinction of being one of the few members on the Committee on the Judiciary who is not an attorney, and I got a little applause on that, I think. But I came to Congress from the business of automobile security. The one thing I know about what we are dealing with in terrorism is that if you leave an open window on an automobile, no amount of security will protect you. If you leave the automobile or your home unlocked, no security system will protect you. There is absolutely no doubt that we must protect America. To do so, we have to be able to go anywhere and never take anything completely off the table. I believe that this amendment allows us to guarantee that there are no safe havens for terrorists while, at the same time, we will protect the privacy and the fair expectation that there will not be unreasonable rifling through the records at libraries or, for that matter, I hope, anywhere else under this act.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, it is with great pleasure that I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the chairman of the entire Judiciary Committee.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, before we take up amendment 20, I would like to step back to amendment 6 of yesterday. I had submitted an amendment made in order under the rule to strike proposed changes to U.S. economic and military aid to Egypt yesterday. I decided not to offer this amendment.

Mr. ISSA. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. ISSA. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from California. I appreciate the offer by the chairman and ranking Democrat to look at this, and I look forward to working with them and the administration on this matter. On that, Mr. Chairman, I would like to move to amendment No. 20. Amendment 20 was made in order because it is dealing with an important matter. This amendment takes the necessary and commonsense steps to enhance the security of American passports. It will help to eliminate three major loopholes currently present in the passport acquisition process that have been exploited by criminals, especially over the last 5 years. First, it requires the Secretary of State to submit a report that describes the weaknesses of identification documents, including birth certificates, required for the issuance of passports. This report will lay out the minimum acceptable criteria for birth certificates issued by State and county governments in order for the certificates to be accepted by the State Department for the purpose of obtaining a passport. Second, the amendment establishes a requirement that all passport agents undergo background investigations and comprehensive training programs to improve fraudulent document detection and thereby reduce fraud. This will make it harder for insiders to sell passports to criminals and terrorists and easier for government authorities to discover those who do. The Secretary of State would be authorized to determine requirements for both background checks and oversight of these agents. Finally, Mr. Chairman, and without a doubt most importantly, this amendment expands the authority of the United States Government to investigate cases of illegal sales of passports and visas by U.S. Government personnel. It authorizes the Federal District Court of the District of Columbia to issue warrants in such cases and authorizes special agents under the direction of the director of the Diplomatic Security Service to execute such warrants. It will also require foreign service officers and other personnel serving abroad in diplomatic positions, including ambassadors, to waive any challenge to the Federal court jurisdiction over matters involving the illegal sale of a passport or a visa or any other matter involving official corruption. The waiver would include any legal challenges to the diplomatic security conducting investigations for the same. This will resolve the current impasse that happens in a significant number of foreign countries when local magistrates and police officials are barred under respective local laws from allowing investigations by anybody into the homes of diplomats. Mr. Chairman, the requirements laid out in this amendment will raise the State Department's ability to detect and eliminate passport fraud. It is critical for our Nation's security that we implement the measures I have laid out. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support and to help offer this amendment along with my colleague the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson). We have worked together in the past to address these issues of intellectual property theft, and I look forward to continuing to work with her to address these issues in the future. Intellectual property theft continues to be one of the biggest threats to American companies doing business abroad. While we have begun to focus on the biggest offenders, China and Russia, where intellectual property theft costs American companies billions of dollars each year, we cannot afford to ignore the copyright piracy taking place in other regions of the world. This amendment would direct the funding to activities in countries that are not members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, under the auspices of the State Department's Economic Bureau. These funds will be used for a wide range of activities, including assistance in procuring equipment to combat piracy, posting intellectual property experts abroad to help train foreign officers and to improve local enforcement of intellectual property laws. This amendment will help ensure that the State Department has the adequate tools to engage with foreign governments and to assist them in developing an infrastructure to enforce their laws. I urge my colleagues to support the Watson-Issa amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, although I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would like to offer my assurances to the ranking member that it was never the intention of this amendment to eclipse the postal service's good efforts; and the portion of the amendment that deals with State Department developing in no way, shape, or form is intended to stop the training from being conducted by the appropriate agency in the appropriate place. I look forward to working with the ranking member to clarify that in any language necessary. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake).

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I raise a point of order.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I raise a point of order against section 928. This provision violates clause 2 of House rule XXI. It proposes to change existing law within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Government Reform and, therefore, constitutes legislation on an appropriations bill in violation of House rules.

Mr. ISSA

Mr. ISSA. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman.

Mr. ISSA. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan, the coauthor of this legislation.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I offer my amendment no behalf of the thousands of women fighting a fierce battle against gyneocologic cancers. I would like to first thank Chairman Lewis and Chairman Regula for giving me the opportunity to speak on a topic that is not only a legislative priority, but a personnel commitment. My amendment would simply redirect $5 million within the HHS budget to the Office of Women's Health to coordinate a national education campaign to educate the public on gynecologic cancers. Every 7 minutes a woman is diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer. In 2005, over 82,000 will be diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer and over 27,000 women will die. The most common gynecologic cancers include ovarian, cervical and uterine cancers. Too many women are dying because they were diagnosed too late. Education and early detection are the keys to saving women's lives and reducing these statistics. If diagnosed in the early stages, the 5 year survivability rates are as high as 95 percent. Gynecologic cancers, when detected early, can often be prevented from becoming fatal. Since all women are at risk--no matter their ethnic background or socioeconomic status--it is critical that we find a way to inform women about the steps they can take to maintain their health. Due to the private and intimate nature of these cancers, oftentimes women are uncomfortable discussing issues surrounding gynecologic cancers with friends and family. It is vital that we have a national dialogue to provide accurate and timely information to the public. By simply educating women about these cancers, we have an opportunity to save lives. The messages are simple: learn the symptoms, have an annual exam and talk to your doctor. Unfortunately, most women do not know these messages, which is why we need to pass today's amendment. Dollars spent on education are an appropriate use of federal resources. Education empowers individuals to make the best choices regarding their health care. Last year, I discovered first-hand how important early diagnosis and education can be. My Legislative Director was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Her journey led me to work with Representatives Sander Levin, Kay Granger and Rosa DeLauro and introduce H.R. 1245, ``the Gynecologic Education and Awareness Act of 2005,'' which has 193 bipartisan cosponsors. This bill, also know as ``Johanna's law,'' has allowed me the privilege and honor to meet and work with an amazing group of survivors, patients, doctors, and families who have lost loved ones to these awful cancers. I would like to personally thank Sheryl Silver, who started this whole effort over 4 years ago. In honor of her sister, Johanna, who died of ovarian cancer, Sheryl focused her energy and resources on writing, lobbying and working this bill. It is a model of how our democracy should work. In addition, I would like to thank the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) and the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation for their tireless efforts in saving women's lives. They have been invaluable to this Legislative effort. Dr. Beth Karlan, from Cedars Sinai Medical Center, is the President of SGO and the doctor who saved my Legislative Director's life and deserves a special note of heartfelt gratitude. I appreciate the opportunity in raising this issue today. I look forward to working with Chairman Jerry Lewis and Chairman Ralph Regula and appreciate their hard work and their willingness to work with all members on their issues.

Mr. ISSA. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Lewis) and the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Regula). I planned to offer an amendment, which is at the desk, but after discussing at length the merits of it with the chairman of the full committee and the chairman of the subcommittee, we reached an understanding that the importance of women's health and, particularly, gynecological awareness, is sufficient that we will be able to make every effort to try to find dollars to move gynecological awareness through the ordinary process without an amendment. I certainly want to thank the chairman for his help on this. I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), who also wants to quickly make a couple of comments on the effort to raise gynecological awareness, one of the great and unheard-of killers of American women.