Update: FISA abomination passed the US senate. The rollcall can be found here.
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Original diary follows:
In a few hours from now, at about 11:30 ET today, the US Senate will start voting on the FISA amendments bill H.R. 6304.
Let's make one last effort to stop this bill from passing.
Sen. Dodd gave a good reason why, even at this late stage, we should do everything we can to try and stop this bill:
Dodd's floor speech on FISA
Today, we are considering legislation which will grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies who are alleged to have handed over to this Administration the personal information of every American--everyone phone call, every email, every fax and every text message. And all without a warrant.
That's alarming. Eight years worth of data (which may potentially continue for years hence in some fashion or the other) on potentially almost every American at the finger tips of the federal government, possibly the telecoms, and whoever else that can get their hands on it.
That gives the government and others with access to that data an enormous power over the people of this country. It's an extra-ordinary and extensive violation of the civil liberties of Americans.
It also entailed an unprecedented and outrageous level of the violation of the rule of law since those wiretaps, possibly hundreds of millions of them, were conducted without warrants and thus the Bush/Cheney administration, in collusion with the telecoms, broke the existing FISA law of 1978 requires the president to go through the FISA Court and get a warrant to wiretap any American.
Those are reasons enough for every member of congress, Democrat, Republican and Independent to do everything they can to stop this bill from passing and to ensure that retro-active immunity is not granted to the telecoms.
The entire bill, even outside of the immunity provisions, is objectionable. The warrantless aspect of wiretaps should be brought to a complete close. Expanding the size of FISA court to handle any increase in the volume of wiretaps that maybe required now compared to earlier times and making some minor adjustments to the existing 1978 FISA law to account for the changes in technology since that law was passed should be sufficient to "modernize" that law to meet today's security needs, in this author's opinion.
For these reasons, the FISA Amendments Bill, H.R. 6304 must be filibustered. At the very least, retroactive immunity should be stripped from the bill (i.e. pass Dodd's amendment S.AMDT.5064 should be passed.)
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Action Items
Let's light up the Capitol's switch board with calls and send faxes and emails to the senators (both Republicans and Democrats) with the simple message:
Dear Senator, PLEASE FILIBUSTER the entire FISA Amendments Bill after voting for the amendments S.AMDT.5066 (Bingaman), S.AMDT.5059 (Specter) and S.AMDT.5064 (Dodd's amendment to strip retroactive immunity). We'll remember your votes on this bill when you come up for reelection later this year or 2/4 years from now or should you seek other offices in the future!
You can find the contact information for your senators here:
- Senate's central switchboard at 202-224-3121
- Senate website's directory of Senators
- click your state in the map of the US here
For the purpose of getting enough traction for this action drive, may I request you to recommend this diary?
Here are suggested steps for immediate action:
- Think about what you want to say and how you want to say it (be firm but polite)
- Note down the senate switchboard number. In addition, collect contact information for both of your senators: including email or web contact forms, Fax numbers and direct phone numbers, etc
- contact your senators in an many ways as you can.
- request your coworkers, friends and family members to do the same
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Links and Reading Material
- Thomas Bill Page for H.R.6304: FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (Govtrack page)
- Text of the Legislation (on Thomas. Click 'H.R.6304.EH')
- All Congressional actions on H.R. 6304 with amendments: link
- S.AMDT.5066 Amendment SA 5066 proposed by Senator Bingaman: To stay pending cases against certain telecommunications companies and provide that such companies may not seek retroactive immunity until 90 days after the date the final report of the Inspectors General on the President's Surveillance Program is submitted to Congress.
- S.AMDT.5059 Amendment SA 5059 proposed by Senator Specter: To limit retroactive immunity for providing assistance to the United States to instances in which a Federal court determines the assistance was provided in connection with an intelligence activity that was constitutional.
- S.AMDT.5064 Amendment SA 5064 proposed by Senator Dodd: To strike title II (retro-active immunity).
- MUST READ/WATCH: Senator Feingold's senate floor statement (w/ video) which gives a detailed and precise analysis of what's wrong with this bill: Remarks of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold Opposing H.R. 6304, FISA Amendments Act of 2008, June 25, 2008
- Sen. Feingold's 'Fact Sheet' on the bill: The New FISA Bill: A Bad Deal, June 23, 2008
- Sen. Dodd's Floor statement (w/ video): Dodd Takes Stand Against Retroactive Immunity, July 8, 2008
- ACLU pages: ACLU Urges Senators to Oppose Unconstitutional Surveillance Bill (7/8/2008), FISA site, Myths and Facts about US Government Surveillance of Americans (2/18/2008) and Talking Points on the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (7/1/2008). Tocqudeville's excerpts of ACLU's whitepaper of H.R. 6304.
- EFF pages: Senate Begins Final Debate on Retroactive Immunity (July 8th, 2008), Whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg on FISA (July 7th, 2008), Action Alert: Tell Your Senators: 'Don't Shred the Constitution this July 4th -- Reject Telecom Immunity!'
I will post some additional material and videos if the diary makes the recommended list.
Happy emailing, faxing and calling your senators!
Thanks in advance for your recommendations of the diary and your action on this front!