FISA Wars Continue

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CQ TODAY PRINT EDITION – INTELLIGENCE
Feb. 5, 2008 – 7:59 p.m.

Senate GOP Will Not Move on FISA Until Agreement on Stimulus Procedures
By Tim Starks, CQ Staff

Legislation to overhaul the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act remained stalled in the Senate Tuesday, held hostage by a partisan clash over procedures for consideration of an unrelated economic stimulus package.

A frustrated Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., complained that Republicans were blocking his efforts to schedule votes on proposed amendments to the bill (S 2248). He questioned Minority Leader Mitch McConnell ’s commitment to the legislation, saying Republicans have declined to allow FISA to move forward.

“The Orwellian Bush administration has now slopped over into the Senate, and now the Republican leader is now becoming Orwellian himself,” Reid said. “They want to stall the FISA legislation as long as they can, and they’ve done a pretty good job, because they want this legislation to be completed at the last minute, to give the House and the Senate conferees little time to work on this.”

A temporary law (PL 110-55) that expanded the executive branch’s spying powers under FISA (PL 95-511) is currently set to expire Feb. 16.

McConnell, R-Ky., said Senate Republicans would not agree to move forward on the FISA rewrite until Reid gave them a chance to offer amendments to the economic stimulus bill (HR 5140) that also awaits Senate action.

“These two issues are interconnected in terms of how we can fairly go forward,” McConnell said. “As soon as we have an understanding about how we go forward on the stimulus package, then I’m confident we’ll make progress on this as well.” McConnell said both bills would eventually “pass on a strong bipartisan basis.”

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At the same time, Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell and Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey sent a letter to the Senate saying they would urge Bush to veto any legislation that does not include retroactive legal immunity for telecommunications companies being sued for their alleged role in the administration’s warrantless surveillance program.

The Senate bill includes such immunity provisions, but a House-passed FISA bill (HR 3773) does not.

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“Sounds like they're starting to play hard ball like the Democrats.

If you can't beat 'em ....”

“LOL..I agree Sarge...it sooooo angers Libbies when you use their own rules against them...(LOL)”

“Their base has been yelling for them to start playing like they do (to beat them) for years.

Something tells me this is too little too late.”

“Well eventually the NeoCOMS (I love that phrase Sarge, mind if I use it?) supporters will note that the Government that has the ability to give you everything you want, also has the ability to take everything you have.”

“Hopefully Bush will start using the veto for the b.s.”

“Looks like they're stuck on the same issue:   immunity for AT&T, immunity for Verizon Wireless, ....

Good to see George has his priorities straight on this one,     ::eyeroll::

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“T and VZ, both good dividend, BUY,buy, buy.”

“If they're contributors to national protection, they should have the same protection as other spy agencies.

Unless you're a lib who sides with the enemy ... Tell all their secrets!!”

“If their immunity train derails.... sell, Sell, SELL!     (but by that time it'll be tooooooo late)

What happens if they don't get their 'get out of jail free' cards before 1/21/09?   The stockholders will wish the brass had been jailed and the corps given an intentional walk.”

“T and VZ, both no dividend, Bye,bye,bye.”

“You must be proud of the US spies over the last 20 years. What is their batting average - about zero?”

“Harry Reid is pretty good at slinging insults. He is not very good at working across party lines. Who would want to cooperate with troll like Reid?”

“Harry, Nancy and George-will we make it past this 232 years?”