quote:

---

»www.hftonline.com/forum/showthre···?t=18271

Bush wants terrorism law "updated"

»news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070728/...···JBes0NUE

Bush wants terrorism law updated By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer
8 minutes ago

President Bush wants Congress to modernize a law that governs how intelligence agencies monitor the communications of suspected terrorists.

"This law is badly out of date," Bush said Saturday in his weekly radio address.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, provides a legal foundation that allows information about terrorists' communications to be collected without violating civil liberties.

Democrats want to ensure that any changes do not give the executive branch unfettered surveillance powers.

Bush noted that terrorists now use disposable cell phones and the Internet to communicate, recruit operatives and plan attacks; such tools were not available when FISA passed nearly 30 years ago. He also cited a recently released intelligence estimate that concluded al-Qaida is using its growing strength in the Middle East to plot attacks on U.S. soil.

"Our intelligence community warns that under the current statute, we are missing a significant amount of foreign intelligence that we should be collecting to protect our country," Bush said. "Congress needs to act immediately to pass this bill, so that our national security professionals can close intelligence gaps and provide critical warning time for our country."

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., said Bush was trying to exploit the threat from al-Qaida to push the bill. Feingold said the measure was an "egregious power grab that includes broad new powers that have nothing to do with bringing FISA up to date."

more
»www.hftonline.com/forum/showthre···?t=18261

»www.hftonline.com/forum/showthre···?t=18256

National Network of "Fusion Centers"

Spotlight on "National Network" of Fusion Centers
EPIC's current Spotlight on Surveillance reviews "fusion centers," data sharing entities that acquire information from many sources, including private sector firms and anonymous tipsters. The Department of Homeland Security is seeking to create a national network of local and state fusion centers. The federal agency has provided more than $380 million to state and local governments in support of these centers. The fusion center program gives DHS enormous domestic surveillance powers. Spotlight on Surveillance on Fusion Centers ( »www.epic.org/privacy/surveill...···ht/0607/ ) and EPIC's Fusion Centers page ( »www.epic.org/privacy/fusion/ ). (July 26)

»www.hftonline.com/forum/showthre···?t=18262

»www.hftonline.com/forum/showthre···?t=18212
"Hate Crimes" legislation tacked-on to un-related bill!
CA Senate vote on anti-faith “hate crimes” legislation is imminent. Senators Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) attached the controversial amendment to a Defense Reauthorization bill -- sneaking the bill onto the floor of the Senate. Such legislation would put Christian beliefs on marriage in direct conflict with federal law -- leading to the criminalization of Christianity. Read Liberty Counsel’s extensive brief on the dangers of hate crimes legislation . »www.lc.org/attachments/hatecrime···2005.pdf

Please read the pdf!

If you don't want this legislation passed, you need to get on the phone and on your FAX machines:

»www.theorator.com/senate.html
ALL kinds of "speech" are under attack, both through regulation and legislation:

"Bill Would Expand FCC Authority to Regulate Speech

The Senate Commerce Committee today passed legislation that would authorize the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to punish broadcasters for single "fleeting" utterances of common expletives. The Protecting Children from Indecent Programming Act would effectively negate a recent ruling by a federal appeals court, which found the FCC's policy of punishing "fleeting expletives" to be unlawful. CDT opposes the legislation, which seeks to expand the FCC's authority to regulate speech at a time when the legal basis for that authority is diminishing in the face of convergence and evolving user empowerment technology. July 19, 2007

PolicyBeta: Broadcast Indecency Bill July 17, 2007

»blog.cdt.org/2007/07/17/bill-...···ulation/

---