FISA with Amnesty put on backburner.

[SirNitram]

Link

WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, facing stiff opposition, on Monday abruptly postponed until next month consideration of a measure to give immunity to telephone companies that participated in President George W. Bush's warrantless domestic spying program.

"Everyone feels it would be to the best interest of the Senate that we take a look at this when we come back after the first of the year," Reid, facing a pile of unfinished work, said on the Senate floor.

Sen. Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, interrupted his long-shot presidential campaign to return to Washington to lead the charge against immunity.

"I thank all my colleagues who joined me in fighting and winning a stay in the rush to grant retroactive immunity to the telecommunications companies," said Dodd, who took the floor for nearly 10 hours to denounce the bill and oppose any effort to swiftly consider any action.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the delay in finishing work on the measure was disappointing.

"There will be very little time to accomplish this when Congress returns in January. Each day of delay brings us closer to reopening a dangerous intelligence gap that we closed last summer," Fratto said.

In August, Congress bowed to Bush's demands and expanded U.S. government's power to conduct surveillance without a court order. The measure expires in February.

Bush has demanded retroactive immunity for any telecommunication company that participated in his warrantless spying program begun shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.

MANY LAWSUITS

Nearly 40 lawsuits have been filed accusing AT&T (T.N: Quote, Profile, Research), Verizon (VZ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Sprint Nextel Corp. (S.N: Quote, Profile, Research) of violating U.S. privacy rights.

Backers of immunity contend companies should be thanked, not punished, for helping defend the United States.

But critics argue the courts should determine if any company violated privacy rights of law-abiding Americans.

Democrats had vowed to try to strip out the immunity provision. A possible alternative was to hold the government rather than the companies liable for any damages.

Sen. Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, interrupted his long-shot presidential campaign to return to Washington to lead the charge against immunity. "For the last six years, our largest telecommunication companies have been spying on their own American customers," Dodd said.

"That decision betrayed million of customers' trust," Dodd added. "But was it illegal? I don't know. And if this bill passes in its current form, we will never know."

The White House said in a statement, "Providing liability protection to these companies is a just result" and warned that allowing litigation "risks the disclosure of highly classified information regarding intelligence sources and methods."

The House of Representatives last month defied Bush and refused to shield phone companies from lawsuits. Both chambers would have to agree to immunity before it could be granted.

A toast to Senator Dodd, for engaging in a true filibuster to stop this farcical behavior.

[The Yosemite Bear]

hell yeah!!!

you should have seen the email I sent my senator.

I believe the words: "Traitors", "Robber Barons", "Stolen Rights", & "Banana Republic" were used.