My Vote Against the FISA Bill
6-24-08
Last week the House passed a bill updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This bill was supposed to be a "compromise" between the White House and Congress. In reality, it gave the Bush Administration everything it wanted. I voted against this bill because it fundamentally limits our civil liberties and bypasses our country's judicial system. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution gives us freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. I believe this bill does not include the safeguards to protect these rights for all Americans.
I am particularly opposed to the portion of the new FISA bill that grants retroactive immunity to telecom providers. The bill would force judges to dismiss legitimate cases if the telecom companies can show that the Bush Administration told them that the surveillance was legal. I believe telecom companies are responsible for obeying the law and honoring Americans’ rights. This bill relieves them of that responsibility. The bill makes court reviews meaningless and it lets the Bush Administration spy on Americans without using warrants or the existing FISA courts. Sadly, this bill passed in the House even though 127 of my colleagues joined with me in voting against it.