*OFFICAL FISA DEBATE THREAD (RESTORE ACT) CSpan1 NOW NOW NOW!

wait a sec--why is Repub Hoekstra arguing AGAINST a provision that allows total executive power
to surveil illegal aliens? A provision which says explicitly "No rights for undocumented aliens."

Oh, I get it. If we were to actually investigate undocumented foreign workers, we would discover they are all employed by Hoekstra's Republican contributors. Is that a crime?

wake up, CSpanners!

need posters here--I have to leave pretty soon!

not being independently wealthy sucks...

THANKS for being the alert ONE!

BWA HA HA hhhha--get used to being treated like the minority, Lofgren.

same old talking points over and over again. What slimeballs they are.

oh oh they are talking about the internet, how terrorists are using it for planning attacks, what total BS.

H.R.3773 - RESTORE Act of 2007
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h3773/show

To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to establish a procedure for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, and for other purposes.

10/12/2007--Reported to House amended, Part II. Responsible Electronic Surveillance That is Overseen, Reviewed, and Effective Act of 2007 or RESTORE Act of 2007 -
(Sec. 2) Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to provide that a court order is not required for the more...acquisition of communication between non-U.S. persons who are not located within the United States for collecting foreign intelligence information, whether or not the communication passes through the United States or the surveillance device is located within the United States. Allows the acquisition by court order (through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Court)) or by emergency authorization (both provided under this Act) of surveillance directed upon a person outside the United States who is a non-U.S. person.
(Sec. 3) Authorizes the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Attorney General (AG) to jointly apply to the Court for an order, or the extension of an order, authorizing for up to one year the acquisition of communications for foreign intelligence purposes of persons outside the United States who are non-U.S. persons. Outlines application requirements. Requires the Court judge to review and approve such application, if found reasonable in its purposes, within 15 days.
(Sec. 4) Allows the DNI and the AG to authorize the acquisition of communications of persons outside the United States who are non-U.S. persons for up to 45 days (without prior Court order) if an emergency situation exists, but requires the DNI and the AG, within seven days of such authorization, to apply to the Court for approval of the acquisition.
(Sec. 5) Requires: (1) the DNI and AG to submit to the congressional intelligence and judiciary committees copies of all applications and orders submitted to, or granted by, the Court; (2) quarterly audits by the Inspector General of the Department of Justice (IG) of such applications and orders; (3) quarterly reports from the DNI and AG to the intelligence and judiciary committees on acquisitions conducted under such applications and orders, including incidents of noncompliance; and (4) annual reports from the DNI and the AG containing the number of emergency authorizations of acquisitions and a description of any incidents of non-compliance.
(Sec. 6) Authorizes the Court, in its discretion, to sit en banc to review applications and issue orders.
(Sec. 7) Authorizes an increase, from 11 to 15, in the number of Court judges. Requires Court judges to make a determination within 24 hours after the receipt of applications for emergency surveillance authorizations under FISA.
(Sec. 8) Modifies specified federal law and FISA provisions concerning the exclusive means by which various forms of electronic surveillance may be conducted to include surveillance by means of the installation of pen registers and trap and trace devices.
(Sec. 9) Authorizes electronic surveillance without a warrant when Congress: (1) issues a declaration of war; (2) issues an authorization for the use of military force that explicitly authorizes electronic surveillance; or (3) is unable to convene due to attack upon the United States.
(Sec. 10) Directs the IG to: (1) audit all federal programs involving the acquisition of communications conducted without a court order on or after September 11, 2001, including under the Terrorist Surveillance Program; and (2) report audit results to the intelligence and judiciary committees.
(Sec. 11) Requires the DNI and AG to: (1) develop and maintain a recordkeeping system on instances where the identity of a U.S. person whose communications were acquired was disclosed by an element of the intelligence community to other federal departments and agencies; and (2) report to the intelligence and judiciary committees on such system.
(Sec. 12) Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and National Security Agency (NSA) for the processing and implementation of Court applications and orders, audit and report requirements, and the recordkeeping system required under this Act.
(Sec. 13) Authorizes additional personnel, for the preparation and consideration of applications for orders approving electronic surveillance, for: (1) the Office of Intelligence of the National Security Division within DOJ; (2) the DNI; and (3) the Court.
(Sec. 14) Directs the AG to develop and implement a secure, classified document management system for the preparation, modification, and review of electronic surveillance applications under FISA.
(Sec. 15) Requires the DNI to: (1) establish procedures for conducting and seeking approval of electronic surveillance, physical search, and the installation of wiretap devices on an emergency basis, and for preparing and submitting applications under FISA; and (2) prescribe related training for appropriate personnel of the intelligence community with respect to such matters.
(Sec. 16) Directs the President, within seven days after the enactment of this Act, to fully inform each member of the intelligence committees concerning: (1) NSA's Terrorist Surveillance Program; and (2) any similar program in existence since September 11, 2001, which involves electronic surveillance of U.S. persons in the United States for foreign intelligence or other purposes without full compliance with FISA requirements or similar requirements under title 18, United States Code.
(Sec. 18) Terminates the amendments made by this Act on December 31, 2009, with the exception that any authorization for the acquisition of communications of persons outside the United States who are non-U.S. persons shall continue through the date of the expiration of that Court order. Terminates acquisition authorizations made before the date of enactment of this Act on the earlier of: (1) the date of expiration of such authorization; or (2) 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. Requires a report from the DNI and the AG concerning the latter authorizations.

H.R.3773 - RESTORE Act of 2007 (Reported in House)
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.3773.RH:

References to this bill in the Congressional Record
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?r110:@OR+(+@1(H.R.+3773)++@1(H.+R.+3773)++)

Title: To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to establish a procedure for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Conyers, John, Jr. (introduced 10/9/2007) Cosponsors (7)
Related Bills: H.RES.746, H.RES.824
Latest Major Action: 10/31/2007 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
House Reports:
110-373 Part 1 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/R?cp110:FLD010:@1(hr373)
110-373 Part 2 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/R?cp110:FLD010:@1(hr373)

AMENDMENTS http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/2?&sid=cp110ZbqIY&hd_count=2&xform_type=3&refer=&r_n=hr373p1.110&db_id=110&item=2&sel=TOC_172608&

Republican Members offered two amendments at markup. The first, offered by Mr. Forbes of Virginia, was an amendment in the nature of a substitute that incorporated the Administration's FISA modernization proposal. The second, offered by Mr. Gohmert of Texas, struck sections 3 and 4 of the underlying bill. Both amendments were defeated by recorded vote. Below is a summary of the substitute amendment. ....

DISSENTING VIEWS http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/2?&sid=cp110ZbqIY&hd_count=2&xform_type=3&refer=&r_n=hr373p1.110&db_id=110&item=2&sel=TOC_157774&

Man, the sputtering and whining is making me deaf!

The same faces who read the Bushco scripts at oversight hearings.

the never included the Dems when they were in the majority, Osama who's he? oh that's the guy who * said he never thinks about him.

such BS these guys shovel.

What a Horse's Ass of Twisted Logic this puke is!

sickening. Playing politics how many times can we hear that.

Give it back to them with the FACTS. Right on Rep. Alcee Hastings. You have to cheer such a fine viewpoint, reason, and logic. Restoring some factual considerations instead of hypothetical insanity and paranoia.

Paranoid politicians and "the fear-mongers" are the real enemies of democracy and reason!

IMHO, it is a deliberate on the part of Pelosi and Reid to march us further into a fascist state. The side benefit is to let the telcom companies retroactively off the hook for breaking the law.

gotta drive--will resume later, if I can.

THE PREVIOUS QUESTION http://www.rules.house.gov/Archives/prev_question.htm

Today the previous question is a motion made in order under House Rule XIX, and accorded precedence under clause 4 of Rule XVI, and is the only parliamentary device in the House used for both closing debate and preventing amendment. The effect of adopting the previous question is to bring the pending proposition or question to an immediate, final vote. The motion is most often made (as opposed to ordered by a rule) at the conclusion of debate on a rule or a motion or piece of legislation prior to final passage. A Member might think about ordering the previous question in terms of answering the question: Is the House ready to vote on the bill or amendment before it?

Furthermore, in order to amend a rule (other than by the manager’s offering an amendment to it or by the manager yielding for the purpose of amendment), the House must vote against ordering the previous question. If the motion for the previous question is defeated, the House is in effect, turning control of the Floor over to the Member who led the opposition.

If the motion for the previous question is defeated, the Speaker then recognizes the Member who led the opposition to the previous question (usually a Member of the Minority party) to control an additional hour of debate during which a germane amendment may be offered to the rule. The Member controlling the Floor then moves the previous question on the amendment and the rule. If the previous question is ordered, the next vote occurs on the amendment followed by a vote on the rule as amended or not.

Expect a procedural attempt by the Rs to block this Act when that starts.

-- Congressman Doggett, TX. :)

you must be watching on cable.

http://c-span.org/watch/cs_cspan_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS

and watch on the stream, or try RealPlayer stand-alone, a link in the page. Also, a listen link.

damn, I hate RealPlayer. Oh well.

I still love Washinton Journal in the mornings though.
The call-in section shows the true feelings of Americans.
I love when Dems call in and hammer lying politicians
from BOTH sides of the aisle.
BHN

They are still taking mortgages in the House. The Senate voted their markup w/o telecom immunity too. Mukasey says he will recommend a veto!

======================
House to consider FISA update without telecom immunity
Nick Juliano - Nov 15, 2007
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/House_passes_FISA_update_without_telecom_1115.html


CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the House had passed a FISA update. Procedural votes to bring the RESTORE Act to a floor vote passed, and a vote on the bill is expected later Thursday

House Democrats plan Thursday to consider a foreign surveillance law update that would restore judicial oversight to foreign intelligence gathering efforts aimed at Americans and would not grant legal immunity to telecommunications companies that facilitated the warrantless surveillance of Americans.

On a 224-192 vote, largely along party lines, the House decided to move forward with a vote that would update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The measure to be considered, known as the RESTORE Act, would replace a temporary FISA update approved in August.

The bill, which will be voted on later Thursday, does not include a provision to grant legal immunity to telecommunications companies that the Bush administration has demanded ......