The WSJ just sent me a news release …
The U.S. Senate Wednesday voted to approve final passage of legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, ending one of the most hotly disputed issues in the current session of Congress.
The bill would renew the legal backing for the federal government’s warrantless surveillance program, allowing the National Security Agency to listen in to Americans’ phone calls to people abroad and read emails sent to people overseas.
Emphasis and italics are mine, simply to make the point that it requires communication outside the United States. Liberals seem to conveniently forget this fact.
Thanks to the Democrats for caving in…
Ultimately, the Democrats caved in, agreeing that a district court judge would be able to review the written authorizations provided to the companies by the government to participate in the program. The judge wouldn’t be permitted to conduct a more wide-ranging review of the legality of the phone companies’ participation.
One wonders how the Democratic leadership and Presidential contenders voted? Well here’s the answer…
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, as well as his chief lieutenants Sens. Richard Durbin and Charles Schumer, voted against final passage of the bill.
Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, who had long been an opponent of granting immunity, in the end voted in favor of the legislation. His campaign issued a statement recently saying the senator recognized the bill was the best resolution that lawmakers were able to reach.
His defeated opponent for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton, voted against the bill.
Thank you!
