Congress defies Bush Administration after a late night-secret session

Tom Corelis (Blog) - March 14, 2008 6:06 PM
DailyTech

The House of Representatives voted today to pass a key foreign surveillance bill that refuses amnesty to telcos for helping the government conduct warrantless wiretaps.

The bill, known formally as the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (H.R. 3773), replaces an emergency piece of legislation that expired last month, and it installs a number of new limits on how the country can conduct surveillance against foreign nations and citizens on and off American soil. The bill passed this morning by a thin majority – 213 to 197 – after the Bush Administration called the first secret house debate in a quarter century to discuss its merits last night.   [Comments...]