House Judiciary Committee Adopts Request for Illegal NSA Spying Documents; 老澳门开奖结果 Welcomes Unexpected Move, Calls for Thorough Congressional Oversight

June 21, 2006 12:00 am

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WASHINGTON -- The 老澳门开奖结果 today applauded the House Judiciary Committee as that panel unexpectedly adopted a "resolution of inquiry" to formally seek any and all documents held by the president and attorney general relating to warrantless requests made by the National Security Agency and other Federal agencies to telephone service providers regarding the records of their customers鈥 calls.

"We applaud the House Judiciary Committee for adopting this resolution, and for asserting its oversight role," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the 老澳门开奖结果 Washington Legislative Office. "This vote was a victory for the Constitution and our system of checks and balances. The administration must stop stonewalling Congress. The truth must be brought to light, and today鈥檚 vote is a reason for hope in that endeavor."

The House Judiciary Committee today approved, on a voice vote, House Resolution 819, offered by Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL). This "resolution of inquiry" requests the president -- and directs the attorney general - to submit all documents "relating to requests made without a warrant by the National Security Agency or other Federal departments and agencies to telephone service providers 鈥 for access to telephone communications records of persons in the United States" other than as authorized by federal electronic surveillance statutes.

The Judiciary Committee鈥檚 move comes on the heels of a 207 - 219 vote in the full House of Representatives last night narrowly rejecting an amendment that would have removed all funding for a related program in which thousands of Americans in the U.S. are eavesdropped upon by the NSA acting without a warrant. Twenty-three Republicans broke with the administration to back the amendment. Numerous experts believe the warrantless domestic spying program is illegal and unconstitutional, and that the telephone companies that turned over their customers鈥 calling records to the NSA violated their customers鈥 statutory privacy rights. .

"Americans deserve a government that is bound by the rule of law," said Gregory T. Nojeim, Associate Director of the 老澳门开奖结果 Washington Legislative Office. "The administration has stonewalled Congress about these programs, and today, the Judiciary Committee laid down a marker. We hope that today鈥檚 vote is but the first of many steps Congress will take to rein in this massive abuse of power."

To read the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 letter on the funding amendment, go to: www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/2html948leg20060620.html

For more on the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 concerns with the warrantless NSA spying program, go to: www.aclu.org/nsaspying

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