Democrats to Offer New Surveillance Rules-Fierce Debate Is Expected

[babylonsister]

Democrats to Offer New Surveillance Rules
Bill Aims to Meet Privacy and Security Concerns; Fierce Debate Is Expected

By Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 7, 2007; Page A04

House Democrats plan to introduce a bill this week that would let a secret court issue one-year "umbrella" warrants to allow the government to intercept e-mails and phone calls of foreign targets and would not require that surveillance of each person be approved individually.

The bill is likely to resurrect controversy that erupted this summer when Congress, under White House pressure, rushed through a temporary emergency law that expanded the government's authority to conduct foreign surveillance on U.S. soil without a warrant. The Protect America Act, which expires in February, has been criticized as being too broad and lacking effective court oversight.

The Democrats' legislation, drafted by the Intelligence and Judiciary committee chairmen, is aimed to reconcile civil liberties, privacy and national security concerns. It would overhaul the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a 1978 law amended many times that the Bush administration argues has been outstripped by technology.

"Some conservatives want no judicial oversight, and some liberals oppose any notion of a blanket order," said James X. Dempsey, Center for Democracy and Technology policy director. "So the challenge of the Democratic leadership is to strike a balance, one that gives the National Security Agency the flexibility to select its targets overseas but that keeps the court involved to protect the private communications of innocent Americans."

The bill would require the Justice Department inspector general to audit the use of the umbrella warrant and issue quarterly reports to a special FISA court and to Congress, according to congressional aides involved in drafting the legislation. It would clarify that no court order is required for intercepting communications between people overseas that are routed through the United States. It would specify that the collections of e-mails and phone calls could come only from communications service providers -- as opposed to hospitals, libraries or advocacy groups. And it would require a court order when the government is seeking communications of a person inside the United States, but only if that person is the target.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/06/AR2007100601265.html

[tom_paine]

1. Even unconstitutional Blanket Warrants are unacceptatble to Bushie Tyrants

They want ZERO checks and balances.

They are as much the enemies of America, if not more, than Bin Laden and his bunch (who may well be Bushie employees, anyway).

[Richard Steele]

2. I'm expecting fierce debate...followed by total capitulation. nm

[cali]

3. There's no indication that the CPC will back down n/t