US News
Senate approves bill to widen spying on terrorism suspects
Aug 4, 2007, 5:35 GMT
Washington - The US Senate approved a measure late Friday night that would grant officials more leeway in their ability to spy on suspected terrorists.
The measure would broaden the ability to monitor communications of those with suspected ties to terrorism without court warrants.
The US House of Representatives must still discuss the proposal, and hoped to do so before adjourning for a scheduled summer break this weekend.
The White House welcomed Friday's development.
'We appreciate the US Senate for passing critical legislation this evening that will give our intelligence professionals the essential tools they need to protect our nation,' spokesman Tony Fratto said in a statement. 'It is urgent that this legislation become law as quickly as possible, so we encourage the House of Representatives to swiftly consider and pass this bill before departing for recess.'
Senator Harry Reid, the leader of the Democratic majority, criticized the measure, saying it did not contain enough judicial checks to protect Americans' civil liberties.
A competing version of the legislation that emphasized the need to obtain warrants for wiretapping failed earlier Friday.
The measure will be valid for six months, before Congress must reauthorize it or hammer out new legislation on the matter. Reid said Democrats would work for a bill with more judicial checks when Congress returns in the autumn.
Some Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the broader allowances in a measure backed by the White House in order to finish the legislation before the summer recess.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Bush: Have sum o thit roooast beef Hirry!
Reid: Did the Vice president shoot this too sir?
Bush: Naw! Ol Dick may have hit it with his car or sumpin though... y' knooow... ac ouple o beers an he's a sailin...
Reid: oh, gee sir...
Bush: y knoow ol Dick, aim low an hit the gas! YEEEE HAW!
Reid: uh...yes sir, that was my first thought...
Bush: N' Hirry...we got us a sitiation boyh...mah guys is exposed t criminal charges if'n they listen t' jeeejaadists talkin over sum phone sumwhire...we gots t git sumpin done here boyh!
Reid: well sir, it seems that it's against the law if the call goes over a domestic phone line...
Bush: aw sheeitt boyh, what in hell is a goddam spook supposed ta be spookin whiles he's worried aboot goin t jail or sumpin. jeeesus cheerahst boyh, y'think he's workin fer ma bell or sumpin?
Reid: gee sir...I don't know...
Bush: what'd ya think son, these spook types jus got time on thir hands t burn? Where'd you guys come up with all this, between the congressional hot tub an th commissary? Was Barney frank mountin ol Pat Leahy when they thought of this?
Reid' well sir...we need to protect individual rights...
Bush: Ooooh sure son! Aftah all, it'll be reeel gooood protectin daed folks raghts! I'll bet they'll even vote fer ya too boyh, well, in Chicago anyways...
Reid: sir...those rumors were never proved...
Bush: aw sheeit hirry, it's OK with me...y cin stuff th ballot box in a district y gonna win anyways...We gotta git this done hire boyh, and...hirry...ya gotta deeliver boyh!
I'll hep ya too...I'll act dumb in front o the cameras, jus lahke always...git ya sum Homeland seecuritee bucks, invahte yur lovely wahfe t lunch with th first lady, anything boyh! I'll even back off lettin thim nancy boyhs gittin married...well...maybah not in Crawferd...ain't too many thire anyways...heh, heh, Crawferd ain't exacly th home o th rainbow coalition if'n ya knoow what ah mean...
Reid: uh...yes sir...I'll make every effort...
Bush: GOOOD, Hirry! That's th spirit boyh! N' git out thire an whip thim senators up inta a frenzy son!
page: 1
NoharnessAug 4th, 2007 - 05:39:43
Quoting the article:' Senator Harry Reid, the leader of the Democratic majority, criticized the measure, saying it did not contain enough judicial checks to protect Americans' civil liberties.'
I would ordinarily worry about something like this, but given that it is coming from Yaller Harry Reid I am going to ignore the warning. The Senate has got next to no credibility with me anymore and Yaller Harry has even less.
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