The last eight years have marked one of the most serious erosions of civil liberties in the history of our country.  The Bush Administration has worked at every turn to undermine Constitutional protections that many Americans take for granted.  They have sought to detain American citizens indefinitely without trial.  They have broadened the government's ability to conduct warrantless wiretaps and searches.  They have sanctioned the use of torture.  The list grows ever larger and more shocking.

I have stood against all these attacks on the Constitution.  As a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I will continue to stand against these assaults on American civil liberties and I will be part of the active team in Congress working with our new President to fix the mistakes of the last eight years.