In Secret, Senate Panel May Re-Up Vast Surveillance Dragnet

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/07/28-0

Most of Congress is busy debating whether to raise the debt ceiling. But starting Thursday, Danger Room is hearing, a group of Senators meeting behind closed doors may consider renewing a controversial law permitting widespread government surveillance of Americans’ communications.

That law would be the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which gave the cover of law to President George W. Bush’s warrantless surveillance program. Beloved by the Obama administration, the law is set to expire — not this year, but in 2012.

But the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence may not be so keen on waiting, Congressional sources say. When the committee meets to finalize the fiscal 2012 intelligence authorization bill to the full Senate floor — the bill that approves the activities of the 16 U.S. spy agencies – some senators will push to include a measure re-authorizing the surveillance act.

The so-called “mark-up” process begins on Thursday, though it’s not clear when the committee will complete the bill and send it on to the full Senate. Nor is it clear that the votes exist in the committee to approve a surveillance reauthorization, which goes double for the Senate and House more broadly.

More at the link --

[gateley]

1. ...

:grr:

[itsrobert]

2. Congress will find a way to spend to keep their Defense Contractors happy

They will do it privately (secretly) and say it is due to National Security.

[DocMac]

3. I'm making a list of reasons

to move to Canada. That list is growing exponentially.

[dgibby]

4. Wonder if this is in reaction the the rise of right wing terrorists. n/t