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Radio Address by the President to the Nation, December 17, 2005: “This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The American people expect me to do everything in my power, under our laws and Constitution, to protect them and their civil liberties and that …
The revelation of previously undisclosed domestic surveillance operations, documented in by the New York Times in the December 15 article which apparently had been withheld from publication for a year, has generated considerable controversy and bipartisan reaction calling for a Congressional probe. Civil Liberties Become a Casualty of War
Press release: “…Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, introduced the Digital Age Communications Act (DACA), S. 2113, 50 pages, PDF. The bill creates a communications regulation system that is market-oriented, competition-based and grounded in sound economic principles.”
Following-up on this November 24 posting, FOI Requests Made By Media Outpaced By Non Partisan Research Archive, additional details and the availability of complete FOI logs from 2000-2004 (in either Excel of zipped PDF), and the logs from 2004 to present (in either Excel or zipped PDF).
Press release: Senator Feinstein Releases Nonpartisan CRS Report that Concludes Congress Did Not Have Access to Full Scope of Prewar Intelligence. CRS Report, Congress as a Consumer of Intelligence Information, December 14, 2005: Limitations on Congressional Access to Certain National Intelligence – By virtue of his constitutional role as commander-and-in-chief and head of the executive …
AP: Feingold Now Has Numbers on His Side – As the only Senator voting against the Patriot Act in 2001, Feingold’s consistent efforts to reform the bill have resulted in a bipartisan group now comprising over 24 Senators who are demanding reforms before reauthorizing the legislation. Statement by Sen. Russ Feingold: “The Senate is scheduled …
Yesterday, I posted a series of links detailing Congressional and advocacy groups’ opposition to the reauthorization of H.R. 3199, the PATRIOT Act. Today, the House voted 251 to 174 in favor of the bill. It moves to the Senate for a floor vote on Friday. However, strong opposition promises this will be a contentious battle. …
Following up on yesterday’s Bipartisan Coalition Seeks 3 Month Extension on Expiration of Patriot Act Provisions, today EPIC posted internal FBI documents obtained from a FOIA lawsuit against the DOJ, detailing government use of controversial sections of the Patriot Act scheduled for reauthorization by year’s end. EPIC’s requests for further documents are pending, and may …
Press release: “Rep. Waxman asks the House and Senate Armed Forces Committees to remove a provision in the pending National Defense Authorization Act that would weaken the nation’s open government laws by exempting “operational records” of the Defense Intelligence Agency from the Freedom of Information Act.” Letter to House and Senate Armed Services Committees (2 …
Follow-up to Deal Reached on Patriot Act Reauthorization Amid Wide Disagreement, this press release today: “Senator Patrick Leahy, (D-Vt.), the ranking Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee, has forged a coalition of Republican and Democratic senators that introduced a bill Monday to extend the expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act to give Congress more …
As a follow-up to previous postings concerning voting rights violations and the 2003 Texas redistricting, today’s report from Bloomberg: “The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments that a Texas redistricting plan engineered by former U.S. House Republican Leader Tom DeLay illegally diluted minority voting rights and was so partisan it violated the Constitution.” For …
LA Times: Was Focus of Patriot Act Debate a Dodge? – The ‘library provision’ took center stage, but critics say subpoena-like national security letters, widely used by the FBI, deserve greater scrutiny. previous posting on FBI use of National Security Letters Related article: Must we renew the Patriot Act? by Declan McCullagh, which points to …
