|
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) Introduces a Popular Amendment 100 Senators Vote Approval-Measure Now Goes to Bush
The amendment, offered by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), requires Congressional oversight of the domestic spying program and conditions its funding on actions by the executive branch to protect privacy and monitor the usage of personal information. It also bars deployment of TIA technology without explicit Congressional authorization. William Safire wrote: "One hundred senators voted in favor." Safire, a conservative New York Times columnist who'd spoken out against TIA at its inception, explained that part of the reason for the Congressional move to quash it "was the blessed stupidity of Pentagon officials in entrusting this dangerous surveillance to one Adm. John Poindexter. He was convicted of five felony counts of lying to Congress about Iran-contra…This was hardly the person to ask elected officials to trust with unprecedented, unchecked power." (February 13). There had been an anti-TIA stampede, explained Safire, which included what he called "those of us on the flapdoodle fringe-from Phyllis Schafley's Eagle Forum on the Right to People for the American Way on the left." People For the American Way President Ralph G. Neas said: "The potential for privacy invasion is too great with an unrestricted Total Information Awareness program. We applaud the members of the conference committee for recognizing this and keeping the essence of Senator Wyden's amendment intact… The common-sense language in the Wyden Amendment will help ensure that Americans' freedoms are protected." The Total Information Awareness program as it was originally conceived posed a grave risk to the privacy of every American. Thousands contacted their lawmakers and urged adoption of the Wyden Amendment ensuring its restraints on the Total Information Awareness program will be sent to George Bush. "Until this amendment was offered, President Bush and others in his administration acted as if they had free rein over the freedoms and liberties of every American," Neas said. "The continuing action on this amendment demonstrates some willingness to perform oversight of the executive branch and challenge the Bush administration when it attempts to undermine constitutional freedoms. Hopefully, this spirit will remain as future threats to civil liberties and basic rights come into view." But as GayToday warned yesterday and as William Safire has explained: "The next assault will come from Attorney General John Ashcroft, whose lawyers are drafting a law to enable the Justice Department to wiretap citizens for two weeks before bothering to ask a judge for a warrant." |
Washington, D.C. - Finalizing an omnibus spending package last week, bipartisan House and Senate negotiators retained a Senate amendment restricting the "supersnoop's dream" of the Pentagon's Office of Total Information Awareness (TIA).