Dodd Wins Fight to Block Passage of Surveillance Legislation

DODD WINS FIGHT TO BLOCK PASSAGE OF SURVEILLANCE LEGISLATION
[SOURCE: Sen Chris Dodd (D-CT)]
After nearly a full day spent on the Senate floor, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) defeated an attempt to pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform legislation that would grant immunity to telecommunications companies who cooperated with the Bush administration’s secret wiretapping program. Dodd objected to the motion to proceed to the bill early this morning and remained on the floor for almost ten hours, taking a stand for the rule of law and the Constitution with his statements throughout the day. At approximately 7:30 P.M. Majority Leader Reid announced the FISA reform bill would be pulled from the Senate calendar and reconsidered in January.
http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/4176

* Democrats Delay a Vote on Immunity for Wiretaps
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/washington/18nsa.html?ref=todayspaper

* Senate Democrats Force Delay On Surveillance-Law Overhaul
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119794691329035845.html?mod=todays_us_pa...

* Telecom Immunity Issue Derails Spy Law Overhaul
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/17/AR200712...

* Dodd, Feingold help delay spying bill
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dodd-feingold-help-delay-spying-bill...

* Senate puts off decision on wiretapping immunity
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071218/a_telecom18.art.htm

BUSH'S PHONE IMMUNITY DEMAND WINS INITIAL SENATE VOTE
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Thomas Ferraro]
President George W. Bush's demand for immunity for telephone companies that participated in his warrantless domestic spying program won an initial victory on Monday in the U.S. Senate. On a vote of 76-10, far more than the 60 needed, the Democratic-led Senate cleared a procedural hurdle and began considering a bill to increase congressional and judicial oversight of electronic surveillance of suspected terrorists. It includes a provision to grant retroactive immunity to any telecommunications company that took part in Bush's spying program -- surveillance without court warrants of e-mails and telephone calls of people in the United States -- begun shortly after the September 11 attacks. Nearly 40 lawsuits have been filed accusing AT&T, Verizon and Sprint Nextel Corp. of violating U.S. privacy rights. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)interrupted his presidential campaign to return to Washington to help lead the charge against immunity. "For the last six years, our largest telecommunication companies have been spying on their own American customers," Sen Dodd said. "That decision betrayed million of customers' trust," Sen Dodd added. "But was it illegal? I don't know. And if this bill passes in its current form, we will never know."
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1741430720071217