EFF Battling Bush Adminstration Over Online Spying

May 12, 2007

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation last week that would prevent the National Security Agency from conducting spying that would run counter to Congressional statutes.

The measure was attached as an amendment [PDF] to the intelligence budget authorization bill.

The amendment is specific in its provisions.

It says in part:

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) shall be the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance may be conducted for the purpose of gathering foreign intelligence information.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, notes, however, that the House did not pass a Bush Administration proposal that the EFF believes would radically expand the government's ability to spy without warrants while also threatening to let telecom providers off the hook for assisting in the illegal NSA program.

The EFF is concerned the Bush Administration may try to insert this provision in appropriations legislation. To forestall this from happening, the EFF is launching a petition drive on its site.

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