House Republicans Face Tough Sell On FISA Petition

(The Politico)  House Republicans introduced a discharge petition on controversial electronic surveillance legislation Wednesday, hoping to lure enough Democrats to the petition to force the House to take up a Senate-passed version of the bill.

Republican Rep. Vito Fossella of New York and others began circulating the petition, hoping to get the 218 signatures necessary to force the House to take up the bill. Fossella's bill is virtually identical to the Senate version of an update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

With the overwhelming majority of the 191 House Republicans expected to sign on to the discharge petition, GOP leaders have been targeting conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats, after 21 of them sent House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a letter in January urging her to pass a FISA update, even if it meant voting on the Senate bill.

However, an informal survey of Blue Dogs indicated the discharge petition would be a tough sell.

"I am not going to sign it," said Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.) a member of the Blue Dogs. "I just don't think it is necessary."

Fellow Blue Dog Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y.) agreed with Mahoney, saying he would not subvert the rules process by signing the petition.

"I like the House version of FISA better than the Senate bill anyway," added Arcuri.


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