Bill to extend FISA surveillance powers stalls in senate.A bill that the Bush administration is lobbying Congress to pass in support of the "war on terrorism Terrorist acts and the threat of Terrorism have occupied the various law enforcement agencies in the U.S. government for many years. The Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, as amended by the usa patriot act " has stalled stall 1 n. 1. A compartment for one domestic animal in a barn or shed. 2. a. A booth, cubicle, or stand used by a vendor, as at a market. b. in the Senate. The legislation would permanently extend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 so that the government can do warrantless electronic surveillance on Americans' overseas communications. This act was temporarily given such power last August, when Congress passed the Protect America Protect America, Inc. is a privately held home security equipment and service provider that services all of the United States. In 1992 Thad Paschall founded Round Rock, TX, based Protect America, Inc. Act, which will expire in February. The Bush administration is seeking to make the increased surveillance authority permanent. The version of the bill acted upon most recently, S. 2248, is described as "an original bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, to modernize mod·ern·ize v. mo·dern·ized, mo·dern·iz·ing, mo·dern·iz·es v.tr. To make modern in appearance, style, or character; update. v.intr. To accept or adopt modern ways, ideas, or style. and streamline the provisions of that Act, and for other purposes." S. 2248 was introduced by Sen. John "Jay" Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and was guided along by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), indicating that the Bush administration has at least some bipartisan support. However, Reid pulled S. 2248 from the floor on December 17 in the face of strong opposition from members of his own party, including a seven-hour filibuster filibuster, term used to designate obstructionist tactics in legislative assemblies. It has particular reference to the U.S. Senate, where the tradition of unlimited debate is very strong. It was not until 1917 that the Senate provided for cloture (i.e. staged by Senator Chris Dodd (DConn.). But he expressed hope that "when we come back after the first of the year, we can figure out a way to move through this." The chief point of dispute in the bill--the telecom immunity provision--grants immunity to telecommunications companies See telecom company. that complied with administration requests to supply phone numbers of suspects without going through the traditional, constitutionally mandated warrant process. If the new surveillance bill is not passed in its present form before February 1, government authority to listen in on American communications without a warrant will expire. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion