MEASURE VITAL TO COLLECTING OVERSEAS INTELLIGENCE

Washington, Jun 20, 2008 - “We must ensure that our intelligence community has the tools needed to detect foreign threats to our national security,” said Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala). “Authorization to collect foreign intelligence expired earlier this year, and this measure is crucial to restoring our capabilities of thwarting future attacks on our nation. I am glad that we could build a bi-partisan consensus on this bill and I commend the leadership on both sides for working together.”

Today, the House approved H.R. 6304, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978 Amendments Act, by a vote of 293-129. This bill permits the initiation of new foreign surveillance without a court order when critical intelligence would be lost due to time constraints, and provides a process for federal courts to review such intelligence after the fact. The measure also provides retroactive civil liberty protection for telecommunications carriers who acted in good faith in assisting intelligence agencies in detecting terrorist threats.

Added Stearns, “While streamlining the process for obtaining FISA court orders, H.R. 6304 also protects the civil liberties of American citizens. This measure modernizes the 30-year-old FISA to reflect the changes in communications technology.”