I finally heard back from Bob Bennett

"October 25, 2007

"Mr. & Mrs. [name withheld]
[address withheld]

"Dear Mr. & Mrs. [name withheld]:

"Thank you for writing regarding S. 1927, the Protect America Act of 2007. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.

"As you may know, the Protect America Act of 2007 amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to state that nothing under its definition of "electronic surveillance" shall be construed to encompass surveillance directed at a person reasonably believed to be located outside the United States. It allows the Director of National Intelligence and the U.S. Attorney General to authorize the acquisition of foreign intelligence information regarding people not in the U.S. for up to one year if they meet reasonable guidelines. This bill was introduced in its final form in the senate on August 1, 2007, and passed by the senate on August 3, 2007. I voted for the bill, as well as did 59 of my colleagues. The House of Representatives also passed the bill and President Bush signed it into law on August 5, 2007.

"The issues you raise underscore the importance of maintaining the proper balance between ensuring our security and preserving our basic freedoms. I respect the president's constitutional obligation to protect the American people. In meeting this duty, the president requested that the NSA monitor international communications between known terrorists and individuals in the United States. The Attorney General, lawyers from the Department of Justice, and the NSA agreed that the president possesses the authority to direct this surveillance without the approval of the foreign intelligence surveillance court. At present, there is no evidence that this program targeted purely domestic communications or any communication not involving known members of terrorist organizations.

"I believe that the most important role of the federal government is to protect the physical security of U.S. citizens. As such, I believe that the threat of terrorism is one of the most pressing matters facing congress today. I believe that the FISA serves an integral role in our national security.

"When the reauthorization of FISA is again discussed in the Senate, I will certainly keep our views in mind. Thank you for informing me of your views. As an elected representative, I welcome all Utahns to share with me their concerns and priorities. Only through these conversations can I meet my obligation to represent all of my constituents.

"Sincerely,

Robert F. Bennett
United States Senator"

---

It's funny. He wants to protect us from terrorists, but we created the problem with our horrible foreign affairs policy. If we didn't meddle in other country's goings-on, we wouldn't upset them to the point of them wanting to terrorize us. We are the problem. Or rather, the government is.