PRISM Program: Obama Administration Held 22 Briefings For Congress On Key FISA Law
Source: Huffington Post
Posted: 06/10/2013 4:01 pm EDT | Updated: 06/10/2013 4:30 pm EDT
WASHINGTON -- Obama administration officials held 22 separate briefings or meetings for members of Congress on the law that has been used to justify the National Security Agency's controversial email monitoring program, according to data provided by a senior administration official.
According to the official, the sessions that took place over the course of 14 months starting in October 2011 touched on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Amendments Act, which gives the attorney general and director of national intelligence the authority to gather intelligence on non-U.S. citizens for up to one year. Section 702 has been cited by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper as the legal basis for the NSA's PRISM program, which has allowed the government to track email communication data.
The Guardian and The Washington Post revealed the existence of the PRISM program and another data-monitoring action last week. In defending PRISM from criticism, Clapper stated that U.S. citizens were not, and are not, targeted for the data dragnet. He and others have also insisted that Congress has had ample opportunity to review the program and provide feedback.
To buttress that claim, the senior administration official -- discussing the matter only on condition of anonymity -- sent over the following list of meetings and briefings that took place.
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/10/prism-program-obama_n_3416973.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
MORE at link, including a list of briefings and dates.
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NoOneMan
(4,795 posts)Think of all those potential jobs Americans could have spying on each other, but they were replaced by computers (built overseas I bet).
...to be exact. 
NoOneMan
(4,795 posts)Where did the programmers live who made this thing? America or India?
So what? We employed a few high school dropouts to swap out harddrives when we could have hired half of America to do the nitty gritty dime-dropping whenever their neighbor lays out their prayer mat
truedelphi
(32,324 posts)One thousand that number of lies were told inside those briefings.
With Clapper lying right and left to our Congress critters, it is not hard to extrapolate how little truth the average citizen knows.
MotherPetrie
(3,145 posts)The issue is gathering intelligence on U.S. citizens. Or do you really believe they are telling the truth when they say they aren't also targeting U.S. citizens?
Because I sure as fuck don't.
GeorgeGist
(25,320 posts)Better Believe It.
Autumn
(45,064 posts)I'm never sure on that.
kelliekat44
(7,759 posts)Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)HuffPo just kill my computer when I go there - would love to see the list,
Triana
(22,666 posts)10/19/11: Meeting with Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Staff
1/10/12: House Judiciary Committee Staff Briefings (majority and minority separately briefed)
1/11/12: Senate Judiciary Committee Staff Briefings (majority and minority separately briefed)
3/5/12: Meeting with Nancy Pelosi
3/8/12: Meeting with Harry Reid Staff
3/15/12: Law Briefing for Senate Judiciary Committee staff
3/15/12: Briefing for Senate Leadership Staff
3/21/12: Meeting with Mitch McConnell Staff
3/23/12: Senate Judiciary Committee Staff Briefing at NSA
3/27/12: Meeting with Jim Langevin
3/28/12: Meeting with Jan Schakowsky
3/29/12: Thompson Meeting*
3/29/12: Sens. Ron Wyden and Mark Udall Meeting
4/10/12: Senate Judiciary Committee Staff Briefing (in Virginia)
4/20/12: Senate Judiciary Committee Staff Briefing at FBI
5/4/12: Senate Judiciary Committee Staff Briefing
5/31/12: House Judiciary Committee FAA Hearing (unclassified)
6/7/12: House Judiciary Committee MEMBER Briefing (classified)
6/11/12: Meeting with Patrick Leahy Staff
6/21/12: House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Hearing (classified)
7/18/12: Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse/Richard Blumenthal Meeting
12/10/12: Akaka Meeting
* The Washington Post reported the meeting as with Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.).
truth2power
(8,219 posts)have the interests of THE PEOPLE at heart??? Don't make me laugh! 
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)The polls supposedly say Americans are pretty accepting of their government spying on them. I don't like the premise, the gathering of information, one judge approval of FISA tactics, the use of contractors or the multi-thousands who have security clearances. Just bad all around as we continue to take our shoes off at the airport gates. But I do believe congress was briefed, as if that had any effect.
