Mama's House

Everyone who has gone to school knows that recess is better than third period Math class or any other class for that matter. And everyone remembers fondly, waiting and watching with great anticipation for the clock to signal the end of class and the beginning of recess. So I suppose Congress is much like school where recess is much more welcomed than more trivial matters like learning math.

At the stroke of midnight tonight, a vital intelligence law that is helping protect our nation will expire. Congress had the power to prevent this from happening, but chose not to.

The Senate passed a good bill that would have given our intelligence professionals the tools they need to keep us safe. But leaders in the House of Representatives blocked a House vote on the Senate bill, and then left on a 10-day recess.

At midnight, the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence will be stripped of their power to authorize new surveillance against terrorist threats abroad. This means that as terrorists change their tactics to avoid our surveillance, we may not have the tools we need to continue tracking them — and we may lose a vital lead that could prevent an attack on America.