Despite Obama's NSA Reforms, Leahy Says PATRIOT Act Still Needs Work

[Purveyor]

Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) -- The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says President Obama’s announced NSA reforms make for “a very good start,” but he maintains congress should still act to amend the section of the USA PATRIOT Act under which NSA surveillance has been authorized by the secret FISA court.

“Whatever we do now will also affect the next president,” Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., an outspoken critic of the NSA’s practices, told ABC News Radio.

Leahy has introduced a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., that would restrict the NSA’s ability under Sec. 215 of the PATRIOT Act to capture data on Americans’ phone calls, giving the agency the authority to only obtain records relating to a terrorist group or a “foreign power.”

“We can keep ourselves safe and we can also protect our privacy. Right now, we’re not doing enough in either case,” Leahy said.

Leahy says he agrees with President Obama’s suggestion that privacy advocates be appointed to weigh in on cases before the FISA court, but suggests it should be a permanent position, not one appointed by a judge in each case.

more...

http://www.kmbz.com/Despite-Obama-s-NSA-Reforms-Leahy-Says-PATRIOT-Act/18203214

[PowerToThePeople]

1. Patriot act - Right wing, Project for a new American Century brainchild

Nothing good for the people is within those pages.

[mindwalker_i]

2. He must just have ODS

[Purveyor]

3. Well that 'has to be' the only explanation...

[mindwalker_i]

4. It's the only explanation possible

Anything else would just be silly

[Brigid]

5. The Patriot Act needs to be scrapped. Immediately.

What else do you do with it, when it never should have been passed to begin with?

[ProSense]

6. ODS

Leahy says he agrees with President Obama’s suggestion that privacy advocates be appointed to weigh in on cases before the FISA court, but suggests it should be a permanent position, not one appointed by a judge in each case.

<...>

“I am not unaware of the fact that if anything happens in this country, (the president is) the one that’s going to catch hell, not me, not you, not anybody else,” he said.

...clearly.

Senator Leahy's statement on the President’s NSA reforms
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024347529

[Purveyor]

7. Maybe you should form a 'squad' and work to primary him, up for re-election you know.

I'm sure you can find one more worthy than this ODS'er...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Replace the FISA court with the ACLU. They're known to be pretty good on the issue of privacy.