Thune: Democrats Must Stop Obstructing FISA Reauthorization, Help to Quickly Confirm Jay Clayton

Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Jay Clayton is an eminently qualified individual to become the new director of national intelligence, and so we are looking forward to processing him this week. “Chairman Cotton, they will be … having his confirmation hearing tomorrow … and hopefully reporting him out later in the week. “It would take cooperation among the Democrats in order to get him confirmed this week, but in my view, at least, he has all the qualifications that are necessary, has the vision, the experience, the judgment, the competence – all the things that you want in that position. “And so I’m hopeful the Democrats will cooperate and enable us to get him into this position and get him confirmed there quickly. “And that, of course, has not been a given. “You look at the fact that this president, President Trump, is the first president in history not to have a civilian nominee confirmed either by voice vote or unanimous consent. “That is truly, truly unprecedented. “But that’s been the Democrat practice and pattern … in this current administration. “But I hope that they will waive that for this and allow us to get this done, because I think that also unlocks the 702 process. “And as most of you know, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s 702 program is the most successful tool when it comes to keeping people and this country safe. “And we are currently lapsed, and that also is unprecedented, and we are lapsed because the Democrats block voted – block voted – against a bipartisan deal that had been worked out between members here in the Senate and the House, Democrats and Republicans, and so it is now currently not an authorized program. “That needs to be changed, it needs to be fixed quickly, and I hope that the Democrats will work with us in order to make that happen. “That’s going to be certainly something that’s front and center for the balance of this week.”