The Patriot Act is an important tool in helping us to prevent attacks. It has helped us to disrupt plots and prevent attacks from happening, and that's why it's so important that Congress move forward on renewing the Patriot Act.
Q If Congress doesn't do so, can he, as Commander-in-Chief, authorize --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- what ifs. The President wants to see it renewed. What the President will do is continue to use every lawful tool at his disposal to prevent attacks and to defeat the terrorists.
Q What difference does it make if Congress doesn't -- if it's a national security issue?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, for the reasons that we have stated. This legislation helped us break down the wall that existed between law enforcement and intelligence. Now law enforcement and intelligence officials can share vital intelligence information to help us go after and disrupt plots and prevent attacks from happening. And that has happened in a number of incidents around the United States. We've been able to break up terrorist cells within the United States and prevent attacks from happening. And that's why it's so vital that Congress move forward on reauthorizing it.
Q But if Congress does not do that, the President does not have the authority to tell the FBI that they can keep using those surveillance techniques --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we always look at what authorities we have in order to move forward and prevent attacks from happening. And the President will use every lawful authority at his disposal to do so. He has an obligation to the American people. It's an obligation that he took when he took the oath of office in January of 2001. And he made it very clear to the American people since that time that it is an obligation that he takes very seriously. His most solemn responsibility is the safety and security of the American people. And the Constitution spells out very clearly that the role of the President is to protect Americans from all enemies, foreign and domestic. And the terrorist threat is the number one threat that we face, and that's why we are doing exactly what we're doing.
Q But that sounds like you're saying the Constitution would give him the authority --
MR. McCLELLAN: You seem to be saying that. I'm saying what we are doing and what we continue to urge Congress to do. It's important that Congress move forward and renew the Patriot Act. The Democrats have continued to use obstructionist tactics to prevent the Patriot Act from being renewed. They need to quit their obstructionist tactics, stop playing politics with it and get it renewed.
Q Where does the President see room for improvement when it comes to domestic security?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we're always looking at ways we can build upon the steps that we have taken. We have taken a number of steps to strengthen our borders, to improve the port security, to improve aviation security. And we're always looking at ways to continue to strengthen that. We've got a great Secretary of Homeland Security in Michael Chertoff and we appreciate the job he's doing. This is something that the President is focused on every single day. The very first thing he starts with is his intelligence report that lays out potential threats that we face.
Q Scott, you said a few minutes ago you weren't going to do a fishing expedition on any contacts Abramoff might have had with White House people. But some of his lobbying firm billing records and emails and other things that are emerging in this case suggest some specific meetings with White House officials, including an aid to the Vice President. Have you had any opportunity, or will you take the opportunity to sort of compare those records with anything --
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I mean, the gentleman you bring up, Mr. Abramoff, is someone that is being held to account by the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice has an ongoing investigation and they're the ones who are overseeing that investigation.
Q Scott, with bin Laden still out there taunting, threatening and commanding as much attention as he apparently still can, can you legitimately claim to be winning the war on terror?
MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely, for the reasons that I spelled out earlier.
Thank you.
END 1:15 P.M. EST