Arizona's Harry Mitchell + Gabrielle Giffords on FISA Bill Watch List

[Joshua Zeidner]

BERKELEY, CA—Last week, on June 20, the House of Representatives
approved a compromise bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA). The bill sets new electronic
surveillance rules that effectively shield telecommunications
companies from lawsuits resulting from the government's warrantless
eavesdropping on phone calls and viewing of emails of private citizens
in the U.S. Approximately 40 lawsuits have been filed with potential
damages totaling in the billions of dollars.

On March 14 of this year the House passed an amendment that rejected
retroactive immunity for phone carriers who helped the National
Security Agency carry out the illegal wiretapping program without
proper warrants. Ninety-four House Democrats voted in favor of this
measure--rejecting immunity--on March 14, then 'changed' to vote in
favor of the June 20 House bill--approving immunity.

"Why did these ninety-four House members have a change of heart?"
asked Daniel Newman, executive director of MAPLight.org, "Their
constituents deserve answers."

 http://www.maplight.org/FISA_June08

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 - http://www.joshuazeidner.com/