Congress approves brief extension of wiretap law

Updated at 5:05 a.m. PST Wednesday

The U.S. Congress voted on Tuesday to keep a controversial expansion of a wiretapping law alive for another 15 days.

The law in question, called the Protect America Act, was passed hurriedly by Congress last August and is set to expire Friday. The temporary extension, which passed by a voice vote, arrived amid strong objections from the Bush administration and many Republicans. But according to published reports, the White House plans to sign off on the measure.

The 15-day extension followed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's failed attempt on Monday to secure enough support for a 30-day extension of the law in his chamber.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, condemned the latest vote, arguing the "Democratic majority missed an opportunity to close dangerous loopholes in our intelligence laws."

But Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), a leader on the House Intelligence Committee, argued that that's a bogus argument. Nothing has been done to strip away the existing wiretapping law, known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. And anyone who says otherwise is making a "bald-faced attempt to play the fear card and to jam Congress into gutting a carefully crafted, three-decades-old law," Harmon contended on the House floor before Tuesday's vote.

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the latest vote was designed "only to avoid a headlong rush into possibly ill-conceived legislation."

The primary dispute among Democrats and Republicans is whether new legislation should absolve corporations of any past lawsuits alleging illegal cooperation with government spy agencies, such as the one the Electronic Frontier Foundation filed against AT&T. Conyers was referring to a proposed version of the wiretap-law rewrite that would do just that--and that civil libertarians argue gives the government overly expansive authority to snoop on Americans' communications without a warrant.

Earlier on Tuesday, Reid, a Nevada Democrat, pleaded for senators to support an extension of the existing law--regardless of the number of days, although he acknowledged favoring a "longer period" of time--so that senators can thoroughly debate the thornier provisions of the bill.

Further complicating matters, Reid said, is the House's schedule. Set to adjourn Tuesday evening and embark on a retreat for the rest of the week, the House wouldn't be in session to approve a reworked FISA bill before the Protect America Act expires on Friday, Reid said.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky countered by pressing again for immediate passage of a Senate Intelligence Committee bill that would grant retroactive legal immunity to corporations.

But ultimately, Reid was able to secure passage of the House's 15-day extension on Tuesday night by a voice vote, which means the battle over immunity for telecommunications companies is sure to begin anew.

[elleneyegreen]

Telco, Wiretap Law, and FISA

The fact that Congress has at least postponed decision on the Telco immunity debacle is lame, but does buy more time for those opposed to this <br />insidious situation. What I fail to understand is Congress's fear and/or inability to represent their constituents, the majority of whom are against both this immunity and FISA altogether. I have both e-mailed and called my Senators for two days consecutively asking to be represented. It is my belief that not only AT&#38;T and Verizon NOT be given immunity, but that FISA should be abolished altogether. How can bush's paranoia be perpetrated and tolerated? Is he so tweaked as to think the entire country is out to get him? Well, maybe he does have a point, however, we just want him out, forever. Everything was bottom line bad and it's just getting worse. If we don't get the representation to which we have the Constitutional Right and for which these officials were elected, I reminded my Senators that they will be replaced in the next election. Just say no, so easy, so fast.

[lampietheclown]

No Fear or Inability...

... just financial self interest and political self-preservation. <br />Find out how much AT&#38;T board members donated to political <br />parties and candidates, and how much was spent on lobbies for <br />the telecommunications industries. Yo will have your answer. <br /><br />This and many other problems would be solved if campaign <br />finance reform was to actually take place, and if corporations <br />were not allowed to have all the rights of citizens. With their <br />money and power, those rights make them "Super Citizens" <br />who can control the political process much better than us, <br />eroding our representation to the point of insignificance.<br /><br />Lampie

[Dalkorian]

careful!

Elleneyegreen posted:<br /><br />"What I fail to understand is Congress's fear and/or inability to <br />represent their constituents, the majority of whom are against <br />both this immunity and FISA altogether."<br /><br />I fear you got mixed up there, FISA is the law passed in the '70's <br />stating the government has to secure a (secret) court order to <br />wiretap us. This is the law that the illegal, immoral, traitorous <br />fuhrer bushit is trying to overturn because he wants to spy on us <br />in secret and without any oversight whatsoever!<br /><br />We support FISA because it gives oversight to the government's <br />spying activities. It allows the government to do their job <br />without violating the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of all <br />Americans. Fuhrer bushit hates it because it puts a spotlight on <br />his illegal activities.<br /><br />You did nail it on the immunity part though. Giving immunity to <br />the telcos for knowingly violating the law is unconscionable and <br />shouldn't even be discussed. If they didn't knowingly break the <br />law, what do they need protection from??

[SFProud]

Wiretap Tech, FISA, DHS

Having been personally victimized both unconstitutionally and criminally under the guise of purposed Quality of Life violations, I personally (even having devoted a large portion of my career to this government) will do everything I can to see that American Citizens get their Constitutional(as it remains written)rights and Freedom back. Ceasing the self-righteousness of law enforcement and citizen task forces from decriminalizing their actions through justification because they have the masses. Criminal is criminal even under color of law. What's to stop them from coming into "your" bedrooms? As it stands today, not much.

[chash360]

Oppress, er, Protect America Act needs to die

I wonder how many extensions they can grant until its not in the public eye anymore. The previous article stated that neither side was considering allowing it to expire. This is outragous, the expiration was put in there specifically so that it would expire. There is no reason to extend it, other than to protect our corrupt administration and the equally corrupt telco's. I said it when they enacted this, that they would try to do something to prevent the expiration, surprised?<br /><br />Soon the telco's and media giants will have renewed their grip on communication in this country, with the FCC 700MHz auction, making matters even worse. Don't pay any attention to the claims of open networks, that just means you can use any compatible device, you will still have to pay to use this band. And the telco's and media giants will still be in control, thats the government they paid for. Never mind most of the global corperations never pay corperate taxes in this country, or in any other, they use offshore numbered accounts for all their major stuff, and cover operating expenses with loans they pay off, using offshore accounts there by completely bypassing payroll taxes, corperate income taxes, etc. <br /><br />We did not need this act, we did not need the Patriot Act either, they had the intelligence before 9-11 and they ignored it. They admitted they had the intelligence, they admitted they ignored it. So tell me exactly where the intelligence community failed, such that they needed these new Acts?<br /><br />It is our consistutional right to overthrow this government should they fail to represent the people, at this point I don't think any amount of letter writing, e-mails, or calls to senators and representatives will do anything, its clear they are ignoring the people for their own self interest. We know they can, and probably will try to fix this upcoming election, just like the last one, and if they do...its time to march!!!