FrankRep
02-29-2008, 02:26 PM
Bush Pressures Congress on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
The John Birch Society (http://www.JBS.org/)
Feb. 29, 2008
ARTICLE SYNOPSIS:
Speaking at a White House news conference on February 28, President Bush pressed the House of Representatives to pass a Senate-approved measure that would give telecommunications companies legal immunity for helping the federal government eavesdrop since the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Follow this link to the original source: "Bush Presses Congress on Intel Law (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4359200)"
COMMENTARY:
The President spoke about several topics to a small number of members of the Washington press corps gathered at the White House for his February 28 news conference, but — as expected — he did not waste the opportunity to demand that the House leadership allow a vote on the FISA Amendments Act of 2007, the legislation to update FISA and maintain immunity for the telecom companies. The Senate passed the bill (S. 2248) by 68-29 on February 12. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far refused to schedule a vote on the House version of the bill, H.R.3773.
The president criticized the House leadership for its failure to allow a vote on this legislation, claiming that it is needed to give our intelligence agencies the tools needed to prevent foreign terrorist operatives from contacting their agents in the Untied States. He excoriated the House leadership for raising the risk of terrorist attack by allowing what he termed a dangerous intelligence gap that exists without the surveillance power he seeks.
However, as we have warned Americans several times in recent months (http://www.jbs.org/search/node/fisa), the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) effectively gives the Executive Branch of the federal government a blank check to eavesdrop on telephone calls and e-mail messages between foreign countries and the United States.
An alert posted on this website under the heading "Take Action!" (titled "Help House Defy Bush on Secret Surveillance Law! (http://www.capwiz.com/jbs/issues/alert/?alertid=11025236)" lists some of the threats to privacy and freedom that this expanded legislation (President Bush said in his press conference that the old FISA did not give us the tools needed) poses to all Americans. First and foremost among these is that the warrantless wiretaps authorized by FISA are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires that any searches be conducted only upon issuance of a warrant under conditions of probable cause.
Naturally, when telecommunications companies have participated in such unconstitutional activities, it has opened them to lawsuits. But the "new and improved" FISA would grant them amnesty to ensure their future co-operation. During the press conference, President Bush implied that lawsuits against the telecommunications firms were somewhat frivilous and motivated not so much by citizens' objections to their privacy being invaded, as by lawyers' monetary greed.
Americans who value their privacy, as guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment, should use the above-referenced alert to contact their representative and ask that he/she vote against any legislation that includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies.
SOURCE:
http://www.jbs.org/node/7257
The John Birch Society (http://www.JBS.org/)
Feb. 29, 2008
ARTICLE SYNOPSIS:
Speaking at a White House news conference on February 28, President Bush pressed the House of Representatives to pass a Senate-approved measure that would give telecommunications companies legal immunity for helping the federal government eavesdrop since the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Follow this link to the original source: "Bush Presses Congress on Intel Law (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4359200)"
COMMENTARY:
The President spoke about several topics to a small number of members of the Washington press corps gathered at the White House for his February 28 news conference, but — as expected — he did not waste the opportunity to demand that the House leadership allow a vote on the FISA Amendments Act of 2007, the legislation to update FISA and maintain immunity for the telecom companies. The Senate passed the bill (S. 2248) by 68-29 on February 12. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far refused to schedule a vote on the House version of the bill, H.R.3773.
The president criticized the House leadership for its failure to allow a vote on this legislation, claiming that it is needed to give our intelligence agencies the tools needed to prevent foreign terrorist operatives from contacting their agents in the Untied States. He excoriated the House leadership for raising the risk of terrorist attack by allowing what he termed a dangerous intelligence gap that exists without the surveillance power he seeks.
However, as we have warned Americans several times in recent months (http://www.jbs.org/search/node/fisa), the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) effectively gives the Executive Branch of the federal government a blank check to eavesdrop on telephone calls and e-mail messages between foreign countries and the United States.
An alert posted on this website under the heading "Take Action!" (titled "Help House Defy Bush on Secret Surveillance Law! (http://www.capwiz.com/jbs/issues/alert/?alertid=11025236)" lists some of the threats to privacy and freedom that this expanded legislation (President Bush said in his press conference that the old FISA did not give us the tools needed) poses to all Americans. First and foremost among these is that the warrantless wiretaps authorized by FISA are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures, and requires that any searches be conducted only upon issuance of a warrant under conditions of probable cause.
Naturally, when telecommunications companies have participated in such unconstitutional activities, it has opened them to lawsuits. But the "new and improved" FISA would grant them amnesty to ensure their future co-operation. During the press conference, President Bush implied that lawsuits against the telecommunications firms were somewhat frivilous and motivated not so much by citizens' objections to their privacy being invaded, as by lawyers' monetary greed.
Americans who value their privacy, as guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment, should use the above-referenced alert to contact their representative and ask that he/she vote against any legislation that includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies.
SOURCE:
http://www.jbs.org/node/7257