Thursday update from WP on Wiretap issues

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/15/AR2006021502446.html

Justice Dept. Role in Eavesdropping Decision Under Review

By Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 16, 2006; Page A04

Elsewhere in the Capitol yesterday, Democrats and Republicans skirmished on several fronts in the debate regarding proper congressional oversight of the program.

The House Judiciary Committee, voting largely along party lines, rejected a Democratic measure asking the attorney general to provide the legal opinions and other documents related to the surveillance program. Rep. John N. Hostettler (Ind.) was the only Republican who joined the panel's Democrats in supporting the proposal by Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.).

The Senate intelligence committee is scheduled to vote today on a Democratic proposal to launch a congressional inquiry into the NSA program. One member, Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), opposes an investigation but wants legislation to exempt the surveillance program from the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

That idea got a thumbs-down yesterday from some prominent players, including Specter and Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.), the House intelligence committee's top Democrat. The surveillance law can be modified as needed, and remains the best vehicle for setting guidelines for government efforts to eavesdrop on phone calls and e-mails, Specter told reporters. But thus far, he said, "the administration will simply not comply with that statute."

The quote is actually the last of the article - I just thought it was a good summary of events to date. The beginning of the article is about Gonzales' plan to restrict information.