Facts about FISA

  We have all heard that if the FISA bill isn't passed by the House before February 15, that the government will have a harder time tracking our dreaded terrorist.

  You may know that the house wanted more time ( 21 day extension )  so that a House/Senate conference on a FISA modernization bill could be drawn up and agreed to. but dear old Bush and the rest of the communist Republicans will not have that! They do not want time for a legitimate discussing of this bill and the amnesty for the phone companies and Bush. Pathetic bunch of fucks!

   From The Gavel

Surveillance will continue should Protect America Act
expire on February 15

The refusal by President Bush and House Republicans to support an extension of last summer’s Protect America Act for twenty one days so that a House/Senate conference on a FISA modernization bill could be completed does not mean that surveillance activities will cease.

Richard Clarke, Former Chief National Security Council Counterterrorism Advisor: “On one issue in particular - FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) - the president misconstrued the truth and manipulated the facts… Simply put, it was wrong for the president to suggest that warrants issued in compliance with FISA would suddenly evaporate with congressional inaction.” [Philadelphia Inquirer, February 1, 2008]

Mort Halperin, Director of U.S. Advocacy for the Open Society Institute: “Even if the President permits the PAA to temporarily lapse, the intelligence community will have the authority not only to continue on-going surveillances for a year but to add other surveillances as long as they are consistent with the existing procedures.” [2/7/08]

“Kenneth L. Wainstein, assistant attorney general for national security, said in an interview that if the August bill was allowed to expire in 10 days, intelligence officials would still be able to continue eavesdropping on already approved targets for another year under the law.” [New York Times, 1/23/08]

Kate Martin, Director of the Center for National Security Studies: “If the government learns of new individuals apparently plotting terrorist activities, it can immediately surveil such individuals — whether they are here or calling here from abroad — by obtaining a FISA court order… As officials have confirmed to the Congress, the court can issue an order within literally minutes of being asked and such order can be implemented within minutes. Or the government can start surveillance without a court order under the always existing FISA emergency authority.” [2/7/08]

On the House Vote on FISA

February 13th, 2008 by Speaker Pelosi

All Members of Congress fully understand and support our responsibility to protect the American people and the need for the President, the Congress, and policymakers to have the best possible intelligence to fight terrorism.

On Friday, a surveillance law insisted upon by the President last August will expire. Today, an overwhelming majority of House Democrats voted to extend that law for three weeks so that agreement could be reached with the Senate on a better version of that law. The President and House Republicans refused to support the extension and therefore will bear the responsibility should any adverse national consequences result.

However, even if the Protect America Act expires later this week, the American people can be confident that our country remains safe and strong. Every order entered under the law can remain in effect for 12 months from the date it was issued.

Furthermore, the underlying Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which provides for the surveillance of terrorists and provides that in emergencies surveillance can begin without warrant, remains intact and available to our intelligence agencies. Unlike last August, the FISA court has no backlog of cases, and thus can issue necessary court orders for surveillance immediately.

 

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