Dems see beginnings of deal on surveillance bill

[babylonsister]

Dems see beginnings of deal on surveillance bill
By J. Taylor Rushing
Posted: 02/15/08 05:20 PM


Signs of a congressional compromise over foreign-intelligence surveillance began to emerge Friday even as Democrats and Republicans continued to exchange sharp words over the effect of this weekend’s lapse of an interim wiretapping bill.

House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) said that meetings Friday brought “the beginnings of a resolution” over the key issue of whether legislation updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) should shield the phone companies that took part in the Bush administration’s warrantless surveillance program. Several major carriers face about 40 lawsuits for turning over consumers’ information to the administration.

Conyers and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) met Friday with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) to discuss how to reconcile two very different FISA bills. The Democratic-written House version, passed last fall, does not grant immunity to the carriers and grants more power to the FISA court, which has traditionally overseen foreign intelligence surveillance. The Senate passed a bill earlier this week, with strong GOP support, that includes immunity. The White House has threatened to veto any bill that does not shield carriers from lawsuits.

Neither Conyers nor House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) would elaborate on the talks, but they said they have a conference “framework” to resolve the sticking point of immunity over the next week, when Congress is in recess.

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dems-see-beginnings-of-deal-on-surveillance-bill-2008-02-15.html

[derby378]

1. I've got a really bad feeling about this...

In today's parlance, "deal" = "kiss Herr Decider's ass and then wipe it dry with the Bill of Rights."

I sure hope I'm proven wrong.

[spanone]

2. well steny, they either get immunity or they don't....it's pretty simple

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

3. when i see the words "dems" and "deal' and "hoyer"

it's time to worry.

[whosinpower]

4. Are they going to cave again?

If history sets precident.....then....yep.

[DearAbby]

5. Why?

Let the thing expire, and die a natural death. Bury it and lets move on. Do these people live in a glass bubble? Aren't they aware that people (voters) are watching them?