Cantwell: FISA Bill Violates Rights of 'Innocent Americans'

By Jeff Stein | July 9, 2008 11:41 AM | | Comments (0)

In the waning hours of Senate debate over a rewriting of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Washington State Democrat Maria Cantwell took to the floor to argue that the legislation "doesn't protect the privacy rights of innocent Americans."

"Even the communications of Americans with no terrorist connections" will be monitored by U.S. counterterrorism agencies, she said.

The bill is expected to pass without amendments holding telecom companies liable for cooperating with the administration's warrantless electronic surveillance activities.

CQ's Tim Starks is in the Senate Press Gallery.

They're moments away from going into votes on those three amendments on
retroactive immunity. All three amendments are unlikely to survive. Then
they'll vote on cloture, and then final passage.

Watch the debate here. 

Tags: Cantwell, electronic spying, FISA debate

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