Preview of the Terrorist Surveillance Act of 2006
Thursday March 16, 2006
Category: War on Terror
Today, Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) introduced a new bill, the Terrorist Surveillance Act of 2006, to retroactively authorize the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program and to allow for future warrantless surveillance without judicial oversight. The only penalties provided for in the bill would be enforced against administration whistleblowers who report that surveillance is taking place--which is how the media became aware of the NSA's secret domestic spying program in the first place. If the bill is passed, anyone in the administration who informs the media of such secret programs in the future may be imprisoned for up to 15 years and fined up to $1M.
(UPDATE: The full text of the bill can be found here.) early reports are not encouraging (bolded text mine):
The bill would give the government up to 45 days to monitor calls and e-mails of suspected terrorists when one party is in the U.S. and the other is overseas. Like Bush's existing program, the government would not have to get court approval.
After 45 days, federal officials would have to stop the eavesdropping, get a court warrant or explain to House and Senate intelligence subcommittees why the monitoring must continue.
We have already learned why legislative subcommittees cannot be trusted to provide oversight in cases where the voting majority belongs to the president's party.
The ACLU has weighed in with a scathing assessment. I'll have more to say once I've had a chance to read the bill myself.
Today, Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) introduced a new bill, the Terrorist Surveillance Act of 2006, to retroactively authorize the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program and to allow for future warrantless surveillance without judicial oversight. The only penalties provided for in the bill would be enforced against administration whistleblowers who report that surveillance is taking place--which is how the media became aware of the NSA's secret domestic spying program in the first place. If the bill is passed, anyone in the administration who informs the media of such secret programs in the future may be imprisoned for up to 15 years and fined up to $1M.
(UPDATE: The full text of the bill can be found here.) early reports are not encouraging (bolded text mine):
The bill would give the government up to 45 days to monitor calls and e-mails of suspected terrorists when one party is in the U.S. and the other is overseas. Like Bush's existing program, the government would not have to get court approval.
After 45 days, federal officials would have to stop the eavesdropping, get a court warrant or explain to House and Senate intelligence subcommittees why the monitoring must continue.
We have already learned why legislative subcommittees cannot be trusted to provide oversight in cases where the voting majority belongs to the president's party.
The ACLU has weighed in with a scathing assessment. I'll have more to say once I've had a chance to read the bill myself.
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