Published: 02-13-08
Senate Passes Protect America Act
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) Texas’ senior senator today announced Senate passage (68-29) of legislation that extends important overseas surveillance authority for an additional six years. The legislation will equip the intelligence community with the tools to conduct foreign intelligence activities and respond to terrorist threats.
“I am pleased that the Senate was able to come together in a bipartisan way to pass this critical legislation” said Sen. Hutchison. “As foreign terrorists find new and innovative ways to wage war against us our intelligence community must keep pace. With the extension of this important surveillance authority our intelligence officials can protect American lives and interests while preserving civil liberties.”
S. 2248 The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) which passed the Senate Intelligence Committee by a bipartisan majority of 13-2 in October 2007 allows intelligence officials to more effectively collect foreign intelligence. The bill stipulates that a court order would not be required for targets involving known terrorist suspects reasonably believed to be located outside the U.S.
The outdated and obsolete rules of FISA which originally became law in 1978 have mired intelligence officers in writing lengthy legal justifications calling them away from the critical time-sensitive task of detecting and tracking terrorist threats. Such a mandate delays interception of intelligence and hinders U.S. ability to foil a terrorist plot.
The Senate-passed measure contains an important provision to protect telecommunications companies who based on assurances that their conduct was both essential and lawful have assisted in intelligence efforts at the government’s request.
Passage of this legislation will provide intelligence officials with the certainty and consistency they need to collect sensitive information for the next six years. The Senate-passed measure will next be considered by the House and then will go President Bush to be signed into law.
