Reid voted *No* on the republican wiretap bill

[bigtree]

roll call: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Senate-RollCall-Terrorism.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print


August 03, 2007

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Senate action on FISA legislation:

A few weeks ago, I made a personal commitment to the Director of National Intelligence that I would lead the Senate to passage of a bill that would help protect America from terrorist attack by enhancing our intelligence community’s foreign intelligence collection capability.

Senate Democrats worked in good faith with the Director of National Intelligence to produce the Rockefeller-Levin bill that was tough on terrorists, provided much-need oversight of the Attorney General, and did not infringe on the constitutional rights of American citizens. Rather than pass this bill, my Republican colleagues chose to rubberstamp a flawed Administration proposal that fails to provide the accountability needed in light of the Administration’s repeated past mismanagement of key tools in the war on terror.

This bill will sunset in six months. Over the course of the fall, I expect the Senate to work diligently on more permanent legislation that will better serve American national security interests and the American people.

http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/006473.html

[IChing]

1. good.........How did Liarman vote? Anyone know?

[Kagemusha]

3. For. I saw the roll call on the NY Times and checked.

I'm sure you expected that.

[DUyellow]

2. who gives a shit, it passed

[bigtree]

5. can you tell me in your own words what the negative effects of the bill will be if it prevails?

To me, it looks like a temporary measure to intercept foreign communications into the U.S. which are transmitted by U.S. carriers. It has an ultimate review by FISA, even though they get 120 days before FISA passes judgment on it. I want a measure which has more of an initial review by someone outside of the administration, but I really can't get worked up over this particular concession.

[DUyellow]

6. 120 days is 120 days too long for an administration who cant recall what they did yesterday

[me b zola]

4. Why did Reid allow it to go up knowing they didn't have the votes? n/t

[dkofos]

7. I feel so much better that harry the appeaser voted no.