Bush to Congress: Pass expanded spy law, already

With Congress seeking more time to finalize a soon-to-expire expansion of the government's electronic spying powers, President Bush on Wednesday issued an ultimatum: No more delays.

President Bush speaks at the Oval Office on Wednesday

(Credit: whitehouse.gov)

In a brief morning speech delivered from the Oval Office, the president praised the U.S. Senate's passage on Tuesday of a six-year law that would give the administration more latitude to conduct surveillance without a court order. The controversial measure would also immunize telephone companies from past and future lawsuits accusing them of illegal cooperation with government spy agencies. The whole package is intended to be a more permanent replacement to the so-called Protect America Act, which is scheduled to expire Saturday.

Complicating the prospects of meeting that deadline, however, is lingering disagreement over that legal immunity for corporations. The House of Representatives opted not to include such a provision in the spy law rewrite it passed last fall, which means the two chambers will have to work out their differences before they can send a final bill to the president.

Democratic leaders are now arguing they need more time to do that. Later on Wednesday, the House plans to vote on a bill that would give the chambers 21 more days to deliberate.

But Bush shot down that idea in his speech on Wednesday. He said there's no excuse for the House not to accept the Senate bill, especially since it passed by a vote of 68-29, with members of both parties voting for it (not one Republican voted against that bill).

"The lives of countless Americans depend on our ability to monitor these communications," the president said. "Our intelligence professionals must be able to find out who the terrorists are talking to, what they are saying, and what they're planning."

Democratic leaders may not back down so easily, though. Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas), who led the drafting of the House version, have said they're not convinced that the Bush administration made a good case for granting retroactive immunity. (A number of more conservative Democrats, however, do support immunity.)

And after Bush's speech, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who voted against the final Senate bill and advocated for more time to improve it before passage, said Bush and his Republican allies are bullies who are "more interested in politicizing intelligence than they are about finding real solutions."

[Rick Mc Callister]

Telesnooping

I don't want private industry spying on me. They're either going to <br />use information for their own profit, they're going to screw up <br />because they have no training or respect for civil liberties. If they <br />want to pay this game they need to be held accountable and the <br />only to do that is to have the right to sue them back to the Stone <br />Age. Reject Bush's "Subject America" law. This is your freedom.

[sgtlyon]

This won't hurt a bit...

But "The lives of countless Americans depend on our ability to monitor these communications," the President said supposedly. However, I disagree with that version. What I heard was "Alright Amerca(not a typo that's what I heard...), home of the free and land of the brave, GRAB YA'LLS ANKLES!"

[zboot]

No training

No training to do what? I'm pretty sure a telecom is well qualified to snoop on its customer's conversations.

[ordaj]

Al-Qaeda won!

As Bush likes to often say, Al-Qaeda hates our freedoms and wants to take them away. Well, there goes freedom number 4, as in the 4th amendment. What's next?<br /><br />I'm waiting for the coporate amendment to the Constitution.

[pija777]

police-state

immunity invites injustice - plain &#38; simple. Everyone must be accountable 4 their action(s)!

[bruceslog]

Back Off Bush

Back Off Bush, and let Congress do it's job <br />properly ! <br />If lawmakers need more time to get the laws and Constitutional rights sorted out right, then they should get the time they need. Period.

[fred dunn]

Congress to Bush, just go away already...

Bush really got his re-election premiums until the second congressional elections.<br /><br />'W' just go back to the ranch and do what you are good at...nothing, you are a "poison pill" to everything you touch!

[x32792]

Grass Roots Term Limit Needed

Bush is just one man. To took Congress to let him happen to <br />America and the World. <br /><br />In exchange for unlimited spending and Ear Marking (pet project <br />funding), members of both Parties agreed to fund the invasion <br />and occupation of the Middle East, winked at wire tapping, <br />ignored torture and allowed lax regulation of our financial <br />district which gave birth to subprime lending meltdown.<br /><br />Congress can not print, borrow or spend money fast enough. <br /><br />They are responsible for the 50% devaluation of our currency <br />and the fact our great-great grand children will be born into <br />debt. <br /><br />Congress has failed us and sold us out for money ....from <br />anyone and everyone. <br /><br />Incumbents of both Parties serve and protect themselves and the <br />highest paying Special Interests (both Foreign and Domestic). <br /><br />We need a Grass Roots Term Limit Program. Votie out all <br />incumbents.

[aka_tripleB]

Are we really that much more important?

The telephone was invented over 100 years ago, so why is it now that the government feels it's important to monitor our private conversations for our protection? Let's open government phone calls to public inspection as well. Then we might actually stop crimes. Percentage wise, I'm sure more crimes are committed over government lines than private lines. Not to mention how much how much money and time will be saved from all the illegal activity being committed in Washington.<br /><br />The House should just let the bill die, no good is going to come from spying on Americans and having no one accountable.