Will AT&T Filter Discussion Of Their Filters? > Question

Question

Want to stop this call write email whatever your congress person to stop telcomm immunity from being granted. Sue the MF's and they will stop...............

I already wrote to my senator, to no avail. I got a long reply, but it was just empty assertions of concern along with "I'm still going to vote for it."

Text of senator's reply here:

quote:

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Thank you for getting in touch with me to express your concerns about the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). I appreciate learning of your views about this important matter .

As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I am very aware that terrorists plan and intend to harm the United States and the American people. I hear about these threats every day - and I take them very seriously. Yet I agree with you - that even as our nation faces new threats, Constitutional prote ctions must be safeguarded.

The FISA Act was created in 1978 to regulate how electronic surveillance was conducted in the United States . This law needs to be updated to account for changes in communications technology over the last thirty years.

As you know , Congress passed a temporary revision of FISA. I had preferred an alternative written by Senators Rockefeller and Levin. That legislation did not have the votes to pass, so I supported a temporary bill that would improve intelligence collection, while enabling Congress to modernize FISA responsibly and comprehensively. Recently , I voted for bipartisan legislation passed by the Senate Intelligence Committee that fixes a number of pr oblems with the previous bill.

This new legislation strengthens national security while protecting civil liberties. The bill strengthens the role of the FISA Court by requiring greater judicial review. The bill also improves oversight and accountability of the entire FISA proces s. While the Bush Administration wanted full immunity for the telecommunications companies and anyone else who assisted the government after September 11, the Senate Intelligence Committee bill provides more narro w, focused immunity. As an added safeguard, the bill sunsets in six years to enable a full evaluation of the laws governing electronic surveillance .

I understand that you may still have concerns about some of the provisions of the FISA reform bill. Yet I feel it is essential that this law is updated to ensure that we prevent terrorist attacks against our country.

Thank you for getting in touch with me. Knowing your views will be helpful to me as the full Senate considers the FISA bill.

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