Bipartisan bill bans warrantless wiretapping of US citizens

Michael Roston
Raw Story
Saturday May 12, 2007

Members of Congress from both parties succeeded on Friday in passing legislation that restricts the wiretapping of US citizens by the National Security Agency without warrants.

"When Congress said the Administration must get court approval for domestic surveillance, we meant it. Today, Congress reaffirmed that basic protection," said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who co-sponsored legislation included in the intelligence authorization bill that Congress passed.

Schiff, with Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), sponsored the NSA Oversight Act in January to "retain court supervision over domestic electronic surveillance," according to a release the two Congressmembers sent to RAW STORY.

They further explained that their bill "reiterates that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) continues to be the exclusive means by which domestic electronic surveillance for the purpose of gathering foreign intelligence information may be conducted. The amendment also makes clear that only an explicit change in the law can provide an exception to FISA."
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/may2007/120507wiretapping.htm