Search

The article reports that U.S. senator Ron Wyden has proposed a bill under which government officials would have to obtain warrants before tracking people of the country using any geo-location information.

The article reports that U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker has upheld the constitutionality of the electronic surveillance law and dismissed lawsuits against telecommunications companies for their role in the government's warrantless eavesdropping of U.S. residents.

The article focuses on the cloture motion filed by Senate Majority Leader Chris Strohm Reid that was aimed to reduce the debate on the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in the U.S. It notes that Reid had established a vote on the legislation and on a possible amendment that would protect telecommunication companies from lawsuits. These cases specifically refer to their help for President George W. Bush administration's warrantless electronic surveillance on citizens.

The article reports on the anticipated voting of the U.S. Senate on a bill which rewrites the country's electronic surveillance law, passed by the U.S. House. It is noted that the bill was regarded as the best deal available on rewriting the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Furthermore, the bill would require a federal district court to determine if lawsuits against companies should be ceased.

The article reports on the legislative bill drafted by U.S. Senate and House lawmakers that would advance the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The agreement reached by lawmakers to revise the nation's electronic surveillance laws would give telecommunication companies protection from lawsuits. Meanwhile, the bill would require the administration to pass its surveillance procedures to the FISA court for approval before surveillance could commence.

The article reports that U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has announced that he hopes to have the war supplemental spending bill on the floor very soon and might have a deal to proceed with a long-delayed rewrite of the nation's electronic surveillance laws. Hoyer confirmed the supplemental will include a 13-week extension of unemployment insurance benefits and veterans' college tuition benefits that might be paid for despite Senate opposition.

The article reports that the U.S. House and Senate aides from both parties are finalizing language to rewrite the nation's electronic surveillance laws even though the Senate's top two Democrats declared they would not support the compromise. Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin said he would not support the proposal because of how it deals with lawsuits that have been filed against telecommunications companies. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he also opposes the deal. .

The article reports that U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes has disclosed that he is ready to accept a Republican-brokered deal to rewrite the nation's electronic surveillance laws. He said that he is satisfied with the language offered by Senate Intelligence ranking member Christopher (Kit) Bond and other Republicans to overhaul the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Reyes said he believes that enough Democrats will support the proposal in the House.

The article reports that the U.S. Senate and House Republicans have announced major concessions in an attempt to strike a compromise on the long-stalled measure revising the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. But it is unclear whether House Democratic leaders would accept it. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who has been trying to broker a deal is unhappy with suggestions by Senate Intelligence ranking member Christopher (Kit) Bond that Hoyer may be prolonging negotiations.

The article reports that U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has laid out an ambitious summer floor schedule filled with votes on authorization bills and conference reports. He expects a list of bills including National Aeronautics & Space Administration, Amtrak and intelligence authorization measures, legislation rewriting the nation's electronic surveillance laws, a bill aimed at restoring parts of the Americans With Disabilities Act and mental health parity measure.

The article reports that despite weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, it appears increasingly likely that the U.S. House and Senate lawmakers will head into the Memorial Day recess without an agreement to rewrite the nation's electronic surveillance laws. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer had previously said he wanted to reach a compromise by the Memorial Day recess. Aides held out faint hope that a last-minute breakthrough could be achieved to overhaul the Act.

The article reports that U.S. Senate Republicans have given House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a proposal for rewriting the nation's surveillance laws that would have a secret court determine whether telecommunications firms should be immune from lawsuits arising from their role in the warrantless domestic spying activities. The proposal is the latest in a series of exchanges between House and Senate lawmakers to break an impasse over changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

The article reports that hundreds of librarians under the banner of American Library Association and literature lovers plan to canvass Capitol Hill armed with talking points about revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, national security letters and a host of other topics important to the 110th Congress. They have joined other watchdog groups to urge support for a bill by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers on unconstitutional surveillance.

The article reports that U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman John Rockefeller has floated a proposal to break the deadlock on revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. However, some sources cautioned that a deal could remain elusive. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes said that the language would require a court to determine whether telecommunications companies should be granted legal immunity for helping surveillance activities

The article reports that U.S. Representatives Peter King and Vito Fossella are expected to begin collecting signatures to force a House vote on Senate-passed legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The House Democratic leaders had rejected the Senate bill because of several provisions, including the immunity provided to telecommunications firms in the warrantless wiretapping program. Meanwhile, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is searching for a compromise measure.

The article reports that U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has disclosed that he has been meeting separately with key lawmakers in the House and Senate to break a stalemate over legislation rewriting the nation's surveillance laws. However, it is reported that Hoyer is still a long way away to forge a compromise, especially on the administration's demand that it include legal immunity for telecommunications firms that aided its warrantless eavesdropping activities.

The article reports that U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said that the administration is signaling the willingness to discuss a possible compromise on legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Hoyer added that he had several discussions with Senate Intelligence Chairman John (Jay) Rockefeller and House Minority Whip Roy Blunt about moving forward on the bill. Nevertheless it is unclear how lawmakers will address the major discrepancies in the bill.

The article reports that U.S. House Democratic leaders have postponed a vote on legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The delay resulted from an agreement they made with Republican leaders to have the House convene in an hour long secret session for the first time in nearly 25 years. The session was requested by House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, who said he has information that he wants to convey to members before they vote on the nation's wiretapping laws.

The article reports that U.S. House Democratic leaders are expecting a bill reining in the administration's spying powers to be approved though some key Democrats remain on the fence. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said she is undecided about the bill. Representative Neil Abercrombie along with Jackson Lee, a member of the House Progressive Caucus, said that they need more time to review the bill before making up his mind.

The article reports that House Democratic leaders have unveiled draft legislation that would overhaul the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). However, it would not give retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies that have assisted the administration in its warrantless electronic surveillance activities since 2001. The bill, would require the administration to get warrants from the secret FISA court before spying on foreigners who might communicate with U.S. citizens.

The article reports that the U.S. House and Senate Democrats say that a new House bill to revise the nation's surveillance laws will not resolve their differences. The legislative process would require the House to reconcile its bill with a far different Senate version, which so far has proven to be no easy task. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said the House bill strikes a balance between the intelligence community and the civil liberties of U.S. citizens.

The article reports that it is increasingly likely that floor action on legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) would be postponed. House Democrats are divided over the bill and under one proposal, the House would break the Senate-passed FISA bill in two titles, one to authorize electronic surveillance. The second title is to grant retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications carriers that helped the administration in the electronic surveillance.

The article reports that the U.S. House Republicans' attempt to gain political traction against Democrats on the delayed overhaul of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is not yielding results. The push has been fairly intense, with Republican leaders and the White House continuously promoting the idea that Democrats are endangering national security. Despite past political success, the lawmakers are surprised by the limited response.

The article reports that the U.S. House Democratic leaders are considering the option of taking up a Senate-passed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance bill in stages, to break an impasse over its legislation. Under the plan, the House would vote separately on the first title of the bill, which authorizes surveillance activities, and then on the bill's second title, which grants retroactive legal immunity to companies that aided the warrantless electronic surveillance activities.

The article reports that senior U.S. lawmakers across the aisle met administration officials to discuss legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Republicans said the meeting was not a negotiating session but a chance for them to ask questions with the top lawyer from the office of National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell. However, the meeting might give Democratic leaders the political cover of a high-level meeting to advance legislation.

The article reports that the U.S. House Democrats are discussing the idea of voting on the first section of a Senate bill that overhauls the nation's electronic surveillance law, leaving out the portion giving retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel has confirmed that there have been discussions to move the first title of the Senate bill. However, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman John Rockefeller is rejecting the idea.

The article reports that U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has revealed that the House and Senate Democratic leaders are close to agreement on security-related portions of a rewrite of the nation's surveillance laws. He acknowledged the sides remain at odds over granting retroactive immunity to telecommunications firms that cooperated with the administration's warrantless wiretapping program.

The article reports that the U.S. House Democrats remain undecided on whether telecommunications companies should be granted retroactive legal immunity for their participation in the administration's warrantless electronic surveillance program. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes have yet to conclude whether the companies should be granted retroactive legal protections.

The article reports that U.S. President George W. Bush and Republican congressional leaders have charged that House Democratic leaders are putting the nation at risk by failing to move legislation renewing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). However House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the president's claim of imminent danger is overblown as Bush would still have authority to allow eavesdropping on suspected terrorists even after the law expires.

The article reports that the bipartisanship spirit shown by U.S. lawmakers during the passage of an economic stimulus package might not last long as tough votes await the Senate on legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Medicare. Three amendments are pending that would strike or significantly alter a provision in the bill giving immunity to the companies, which face lawsuits for aiding the administration to conduct warrantless electronic surveillance.

The article reports that the U.S. Senate is set to approve a White House-backed bill that gives telecommunications companies blanket legal immunity for helping the administration conduct warrantless electronic surveillance against U.S. residents. However, attention will turn immediately to the House, where trying to complete a final bill overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act which could be a contentious and complicated chess game.

The article reports that U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that work would continue on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act into next week. The Indian Health Care Act will come up next week, which Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman Byron Dorgan said could be finished in one day. A Reid aide said energy legislation is possible next week.

The article reports that the U.S. Senate has resumed action on overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expecting a conference agreement which will deal with warrantless electronic surveillance on U.S. residents and liability protections for the companies which aided the administration. The White House has vowed to veto a final bill if it does not include immunity for the companies.

The article reports that the U.S. Senators are struggling to reach an agreement to vote on amendments to a bill overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell have sent key senators a detailed letter listing seven amendments that would prompt a veto. They have also warned Congress not to let a temporary law altering FISA, without passing a permanent measure

The article reports that a proposal to have the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) expire in four years failed to muster the 60 votes needed for passage in the U.S. Senate. This has left intact a six-year sunset provision in the FISA revisions. The amendment from Senator Benjamin Cardin calling for a four-year expiration was supported by 48 Democrats and Senator Bernie Sanders, but was opposed by 46 Republicans.

The article reports that the U.S. administration has repeated its threat to veto legislation altering the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act if it does not give retroactive legal protections to telecommunication providers who cooperated with it on warrantless wiretaps. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell renewed the stance in a letter to Senate leaders and top Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees.

The article reports that floor debate has come to a halt in the U.S. Senate on the bill overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Majority Leader Harry Reid charged that Republicans are using stalling tactics by demanding 30 hours of post-cloture debate time after it voted to limit debate on an economic stimulus package. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said they need time to read the stimulus package legislation approved by the Finance Committee.

The article reports that the bill to make lasting changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is stalled in the U.S. Senate and the House Democrats are pushing to pass an extension of a temporary authorization for electronic surveillance activities. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are negotiating on how to proceed with amendments and how to keep the temporary FISA authorization in force until a permanent bill could be enacted.

The article reports that U.S. Republican lawmakers have softened their demand for immediate passage of a permanent overhaul of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). They said that they are willing to back a short extension of the law to give lawmakers more time to craft lasting changes. This development emerged as the Senate and House prepare to vote on controversial FISA legislation.

The article reports that the U.S. House and Senate have approved legislation to extend a law authorizing electronic surveillance activities for 15 days beyond the scheduled expiration. The extension is intended to buy time for lawmakers to craft permanent legislation that would overhaul and reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers said that this will give them time to consider responsible reform in both houses of the Congress.

The article reports that the U.S. Senate Democrats have fought off a White House-backed bill that would rewrite the surveillance laws. The legislation will give retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies that have helped the administration conduct warrantless electronic wiretapping of U.S. citizens. Democrats defeated a motion to cut off debate on the bill. The 48-45 vote, well short of the 60 needed to invoke cloture, is a major defeat for President George W. Bush.

The article reports that talks between U.S. Senate Democrats and Republicans broke down over legislation that would limit the executive branch's ability to eavesdrop on Americans without a warrant and protect telecommunications carriers involved in the surveillance from lawsuits. The Senate is considering a Senate Intelligence Committee bill that includes retroactive legal immunity for carriers that have helped the administration since 2001.