SpyTalk

The Senate today cleared an historic overhaul of a 30-year-old statute on electronic spying, 69-28,  

The House had earlier approved the measure, which gives immunity to telecom  companies that participated in the Bush administration's warrantless electronic intercepts, 293 to 129.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois voted for the bill. His primaries opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., voted against it.

Earlier in the day, the Senate stripped amendments holding telecom companies legally liable for allowing Bush administration spy agencies to  eavesdrop on Americans' e-mail and telephone calls without a warrant.

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, hailed the passage of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) overhaul.

"This bill gives our intelligence operators and law enforcement officials the tools they need to conduct surveillance on foreign terrorists in foreign countries planning to conduct attacks inside the United States, against our troops, and against our allies," said Bond.  "This is the balance we need to protect our civil liberties without handcuffing our terror-fighters."

The  measure will quickly go to the White House for President Bush's signature.