110th Congress / House / 1st session / Vote 836
- Question: On Passage
- Bill: S 1927
- Vote description: Protect America Act
- Vote type: Yea-and-Nay (Help)
- Result: Passed, 227-183, with 23 not voting.
- Date/time: August 4, 2007, 10:20 p.m.
- Republican majority opinion: Yes (Help)
- Democrat majority opinion: No (Help)
Key Vote Analysis
This amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 passed 227-183 on August 4. The bill gives U.S. spy agencies expanded power to eavesdrop on foreign suspects without a court order.
The bill gives the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General authorization for periods up to one year, to information concerning suspected terrorists outside the United States.
The existing Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act contained a 30-year-old statute requiring a warrant to monitor calls intercepted in the United States, regardless of their origin. The new Protect America Act amends this stipulation, allowing U.S. intelligence officials to monitor suspicious communication originating inside the U.S. The Bush administration argued that it needs the expanded power to confront terrorist threats.
Civil liberties and privacy advocates argue the bill jeopardizes the Fourth Amendment privacy rights and allows for the warrantless monitoring of virtually any form of communication originating in the United States.
Democrats managed a minor victory requiring a sunset clause effective 180 days after the bill is signed.
In place of a court's approval, the National Security Agency plans to institute a system of internal bureaucratic controls.
The bill passed in the Senate 60-28, and was sent to the White House soon after to be signed into law.
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