Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

Mar. 13, 2008

The highly contested controversy over extending the government’s warrantless wiretapping program is ongoing now more than ever in Washington.

Democrats in the House of Representatives unveiled a new version of the legislation that doesn't include total immunity for telecom and wireless carriers that may have cooperated with the government’s program before the Protect American Act was signed.

On March 10, President Bush said he will veto any bill that doesn't include total immunity for telecom companies and wireless carriers.

In Congress' latest version of the bill, phone customers will be able to pursue civil lawsuits against phone companies, but defendants would have the right to present classified evidence to the judge in such cases, without the plaintiffs even being present.

As the law stands today, judges can hear classified evidence in private and criminal cases, but not civil lawsuits.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the latest version of the bill was an attempt at compromise.

The Department of Justice and the director of National Intelligence reportedly issued a joint statement saying, “we understand that the new House bill may not address the issue of providing liability protection for those private-sector firms that helped defend the Nation after the 9/11 attacks."

The Department added "any FISA modernization bill must include such liability protection."

The newly proposed bill could come to a final Congressional vote as early as tomorrow.

Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

    This article was featured on Business 5.0.

Source: Tech Blog.