DeGette Opposes New Fisa Bill

WASHINGTON – Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO) today opposed H.R.6304, the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which passed on a vote of 293 to129. Below is Congresswoman DeGette's statement:

"While H.R. 6304 is an improvement over our previous efforts, it stillprevents the American public's ability to hold telecommunicationscompanies accountable for participating in the Federal Government'sdomestic warrantless surveillance program. Courts still have no realpower to review the Administration's prior orders for surveillanceactivities. We may never learn the extent of the violations ofAmericans' privacy which may have occurred or companies which may haveparticipated.

"Additionally, the strong protections against reverse targetingcontained in prior House measures, which I supported, are absent fromthis bill. Reverse targeting, which refers to spying on Americans bytargeting those abroad with whom they are believed to be communicating,opens a loophole for the Federal Government to violate the privacy ofAmerican citizens."