* Action Alert: Call Congress Now - NSA Spying Bill Headed
for Vote This Week!

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that Congress may take
action this week on a bill that could rubberstamp the NSA's
spying program. The Bush Administration is trying to sell
its latest proposal as a serious compromise, but don't be
fooled -- it represents an unprecedented power grab that
endangers the checks and balances that define our
democracy. Please call your representatives now before it's
too late:
http://action.eff.org/fisa

Contrary to the Administration's characterizations, its
"FISA Modernization" bill is not simply about updating the
law and allowing surveillance of foreign-to-foreign
communications. Instead, it could radically expand the
government's ability to spy on Americans without a warrant.

On its own terms, this bill is awful, and it's highly
irresponsible for Congress to even consider it before
uncovering the truth about the still-shadowy spying
program. In recent weeks, Congress has made strides towards
more vigorous oversight and authorized subpoenas for key
information, but the proposed bill would short-circuit such
scrutiny.

Tell your representatives to stand strong against the
Administration and stop the abuse of surveillance powers:
http://action.eff.org/fisa

"Bush Urges Congress to Update Terrorism Surveillance
Program," (Bloomberg, July 28):
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aNO.ihVL7fOo&refer=us

To learn about EFF's case against AT&T for its role in the
spying program:
http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att

For this post and related links:
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005382.php

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,291704,00.html

"Democrats Optimistic on Terror Surveillance Compromise

WASHINGTON — Democratic congressional leaders said Wednesday they want to expand the government's surveillance authority over suspected terrorists and get it done before going on recess at week's end. But they remain in a stalemate with President Bush over spending, with no signs of progress.

The administration is pushing to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to allow surveillance without a warrant of terror suspects who are overseas. The proposal, offered late last week by Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, is designed to fix what the White House says is a glaring problem: the missing of significant foreign intelligence that could protect the country against terrorist attacks.

"To the extent that more flexibility is needed, as Director McConnell has indicated, we are prepared to make those accommodations under the law," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said after congressional leaders met with Bush at the White House Wednesday. "We hope to do that this week."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he, too, thought the matter would be worked out. But he would not predict timing, as Pelosi did.

"In the Senate, I don't promise any legislation," Reid said. He said the hang-up is "what the involvement of the attorney general will be."

Democrats and some Republicans in the Senate have openly questioned the truthfulness of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, whom they also accuse of helping Bush exploit executive power at the expense of civil liberties and possibly beyond the law on an array of matters.

The Senate's Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, said he saw bipartisan willingness to get the legislation done before the Congress goes into recess.

The White House responded with measured optimism.

"I think they understand and appreciate the importance," Bush spokesman Tony Snow said of Democratic leaders. "We will see."

The administration believes the FISA court under existing law must approve certain spying because many conversations and contacts taking place overseas are routed through U.S.-based communication carriers, satellites or Internet providers.

Its latest proposal is narrower than what the administration sought in April: a slew of changes to the 1978 FISA law.

That law created a court which meets in secret to review applications from the FBI, the NSA and other agencies to investigate suspected spies, terrorists or other national security threats. Shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Bush authorized the NSA to eavesdrop — without requiring a warrant beforehand from the FISA court — on calls between people in the U.S. and others overseas when terrorism is suspected.

After the program became public and was challenged in court, Bush earlier this year put it under FISA court supervision."

=========================================

People - this FISA "modernization" act is a sham that absolutely MUST be stopped. It is simply a massive increase in the governments' ability to ILLEGALLY spy on legitmate, legal citizens and will give the government retroactive cover and blessing for all the spying already done.

PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATORS (BOTH OF THEM!) - TODAY!

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=wLTy2l1xN1dBwouswh0cAg..

Pete

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/31/congress.gonzales/index.html

"Spy chief: Anti-terrorist programs MORE EXTENSIVE THAN ACKNOWLEDGED

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration's anti-terrorist surveillance efforts are more extensive than top officials have acknowledged, going beyond the controversial no-warrant eavesdropping program, the U.S. intelligence chief said Tuesday."

....

"In a letter defending the embattled attorney general, National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell states that eavesdropping is JUST ONE of the programs President Bush authorized after the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

"This is the only aspect of the NSA activities that can be discussed publicly because it is the only aspect of those various activities whose existence has been fully acknowledged," McConnell wrote."

============================================

What's it gonna take, people, before you finally realize that the government wants to - quite literally - stick a microphone and a videocam up your ass and RECORD YOUR WHOLE LIFE so that you can wind up being a "file" in some super-secret government agency?

FIGHT IT! They're behind on "1984" - but they're doing their level-best to catch up and SURPASS that! Pete

classified communications intelligence activity that the Attorney General or a designee of the Attorney General certifies, in a manner consistent with the protection of State secrets, is, was, would be, or would have been intended to protect the United States from a terrorist attack. This section shall apply to all actions, claims, or proceedings pending on or after the effective date of this Act.

(The following are qoutes from the UN-classified version of the "modernization" act - there is also a CLASSIFIED version, which of course, we'll never get to see or know the details of...) -
http://www.usdoj.gov/nsd/pdf/ODNIintelligenceAuthorizationBill04-13-07.pdf

(First brief mention of "cover my ass")

‘‘(h) LIABILITY.—No cause of action shall lie in any court against any person for providing any information, facilities, or assistance in accordance with a directive under this section."

(MAIN ***RETROACTIVE*** "Cover my ass"):

SEC. 408. LIABILITY DEFENSE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other law, and in addition to the immunities, privileges, and defenses provided by any other source of law, no action shall lie or be maintained in any court, and no penalty, sanction, or other form of remedy or relief shall be imposed by any court or any other body, against any person for the alleged provision to an element of the intelligence community of any information (including records or other information pertaining to a customer), facilities, or any other form of assistance, during the period of time beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on the date that is the effective date of this Act, in connection with any alleged classified communications intelligence activity that the Attorney General or a designee of the Attorney General certifies, in a manner consistent with the protection of State secrets, is, was, would be, or would have been intended to protect the United States from a terrorist attack. This section shall apply to all actions, claims, or proceedings pending on or after the effective date of this Act.

This is their own explanation of Section 408:

"Sec. 408. Liability Defense.
Telecommunications providers who are alleged to have assisted the government with intelligence activities after September 11th have faced numerous lawsuits as a result of their alleged activities in support of the government’s efforts to prevent another terrorist attack. Companies that cooperate with the Government in the war on terror deserve our appreciation and protection – not litigation. This provision would protect providers from liability based upon allegations that they assisted the government in connection with alleged classified communications intelligence activities intended to protect the United States from a terrorist attack since September 11, 2001. Section 408 also provides for the removal of any such actions from state to federal court."

This totally defeats ALL previous, current and FUTURE lawsuits against AT&T and similar telcos who have been handing over your phone calls and Internet activities to the government illegally - INSTANTLY.

Hope you're down wid dat. Pete

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug03/0,4670,TerrorismSurveillance,00.html

"Senate Passes Bush Spy Bill

The Senate vote was 60-28. Both parties had agreed to require 60 votes for passage."

==========================================

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292140,00.html

"House Passes Foreign Surveillance Bill

WASHINGTON — The House handed President Bush a victory Saturday, voting to expand the government's abilities to eavesdrop without warrants on foreign suspects whose communications pass through the United States.

The 227-183 vote, which followed the Senate's approval Friday, sends the bill to Bush for his signature. He had urged Congress to approve it, saying Saturday, "Protecting America is our most solemn obligation." "

Late Friday night, the ACLU caught wind of a dangerous backroom deal brewing. The “deal” would rush a House vote that would push through a dangerous sellout on government spying powers, possibly in the next few days.

We need you to immediately contact your member of Congress. Let your representative know you’re watching and expect him or her to stand firm. That means no immunity for lawbreaking phone and internet companies, and no spying on Americans without a warrant.

Let your member of Congress know you’re watching!

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=7TTRrjD0GQZyb3khS5MiSQ..

Back in February, the House stood up to President Bush’s fear-mongering tactics by letting the so-called “Protect America Act” expire. This ill-named bill eviscerated the protections of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and violated the constitutional rights of Americans.

This breakthrough victory for civil liberties came only because you and other ACLU activists refused to yield. Because of your emails and phone calls, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer rallied defenders of freedom to hold their ground.

But now, word comes that House leadership may be working hand-in-hand with Senator Jay Rockefeller, the Democratic Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who has spearheaded efforts to give immunity to law-breaking phone companies that provided mountains of customer data to the government without warrants.

As discussions continue, it’s critical that House leadership avoid buckling to pressure from the White House or Senator Rockefeller at all costs. House leadership -- and every representative -- need to draw a line in the sand by rejecting any compromise that would undo the achievement we fought so hard for in February.

Make no mistake: any "compromise" that is acceptable to Senator Rockefeller and the President will undoubtedly let lawbreakers off the hook and seriously put at risk -- or even end -- lawsuits that may be the only way to get to the bottom of crimes that were committed by phone companies and Bush administration officials.

Demand that the House Stand Firm on FISA!

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=j-fmoUUIpuvNkMQ3cezCrQ..

Let’s make it clear. We won’t tolerate:
Backroom deals on telecom immunity. Lawsuits may be our last chance to expose the truth about illegal spying activities by telecom companies and the Bush administration.
Backroom deals that let election year fear-mongering steal our freedom and undermine the rule of law.
Backroom deals that give Bush new powers to spy on Americans without a warrant.
With your help, we have worked relentlessly to protect freedom in the long-running FISA debate. Now, we need to make sure all that work isn’t undone by backroom deals. So, please, urge your representative to stand firm.

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=A8_TZug_Au4AlHB17OIWiQ..

Let’s make sure every member of Congress knows how proud we are that the House has stood its ground and how outraged we will be if our representatives and House leadership reverse themselves now.

Please act quickly.

Might be our last chance to stop this, people - please call before it's too late:

http://www.eff.org/action/no-false-compromises

http://cdt.org/action/snooping/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,369492,00.html

"House Prepares to Take Up Terror Surveillance Bill

....Speaking at the White House, Bush called on both the House and Senate to pass the compromise deal that key lawmakers confirmed Thursday and said he believes it is a vital tool for U.S. law enforcement."

...."He noted that the bill would protect telecommunications companies from lawsuits for cooperating for "past or future cooperation" with federal law enforcement authorities and will assist the intelligence community in determining the plans of terrorists by following "who they are talking to, what they are saying, what they are planning."

...."The compromise bill would have a federal district court review certifications from the attorney general saying the telecommunications companies received presidential orders telling them wiretaps were needed to detect or prevent a terrorist attack. If the paperwork were deemed in order, the judge would dismiss the lawsuit."

.................

There it is, people - straight from the horses' mouth - it's all about telecom immunity, past. present and future. Pete

It passed the House vote: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll437.xml

Hopefully you all understand that this has NOT passed the Senate yet (which it must do in order for the President to sign it into law). So, if you're not happy with this, I strongly urge you to contact BOTH of your Senators using the links given above - QUICKLY. Pete

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Turley_FISA_bill_is_evisceration_of_0619.html

Watch the video if you have some time this weekend. Pete

Kucinich knows exactly what's going down here, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM2HLbcUafA

And this is why it's so vitally important that everyone contact their SENATORS - BOTH of them - immediately to voice our opposition to this.

Their FAX lines are generally open on the weekends, too.

Get the contact info for your Senators here:

http://www.theorator.com/senate.html and start your FAX with the heading "NO TELECOM IMMUNITY!

You flood them with these starting today, and there's a very real possibility that they'll remember who elected them to start with. And promise to cast your vote next time based upon how they vote this time. Pete

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,372501,00.html

"Senate Postpones Vote on Controversial Surveillance Bill

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday put off voting on controversial electronic surveillance legislation, in spite of what appeared to be overwhelming support for the bill.

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and more than a dozen other senators who oppose telecom immunity threw up procedural delays that threatened to force the Senate into a midnight or weekend session. The prospect of further delays was enough to cause Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to postpone the vote until after the weeklong July 4 vacation.

The bill provides legal immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the government wiretap American phone and computer lines without court permission after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

It also makes it easier for the government to tap the calls and e-mails of terrorists. Its detractors contend that it does not protect Americans' privacy rights while its champions argue that it strikes the right balance between civil liberties and security. The bill passed the House with a strong majority last week.

Feingold and other critics of the legislation say civil lawsuits are the only way the country will learn the extent of the Bush administration's nearly six years of warrantless wiretapping. The surveillance took place without the permission or knowledge of the secret court Congress created 30 years ago to handle such activities.

The bill amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act represents a compromise. In exchange for telecom immunity, the inspectors general of the Pentagon, Justice Department and intelligence agencies will investigate the wiretapping program.

The attorney general and national intelligence director on Thursday said President Bush would veto the bill if the immunity provisions were stripped from it."

=================================

What this means, basically, is that this is simply put off again. What those in favor of telecom immunity are hoping for is that we're all going to get tired of hearing about it and that we'll fail to contact our Senators yet again when this comes back up.

I can guarantee you that if our Senators don't hear from us again after the 4th, telecom immunity will sail right on through.

Thank God for men of principle like Feingold and the others who support his efforts.

And my personal thanks to each and every one of you who've responded each and every time it's been needed. Thank you. Pete