Surveillance Legislation Amended to Include Some of Holt's Changes

by: Juan Melli

Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 04:17:53 PM EDT

"Today, the committee accepted four of my amendments to the RESTORE Act that will increase our ability to help protect Americans from those who would do us physical harm, and from the government itself. While this bill does not contain a key protection I sought-the certainty that the courts will protect U.S. persons from unwarranted surveillance-it is a great improvement on the so-called 'Protect America Act' that the Congress passed in August."

The accepted amendments would:

Require the Bush administration to "fully inform" Congress on all surveillance programs conducted since 9/11.

Increase the number of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) judges from 11 to 15; provide additional personnel to both the FISC and government agencies responsible for making and processing FISA applications; and create an electronic filing, sharing, and document management system for handling this highly classified data. The amendment would also mandate training in the FISA process.

Require the Court to review and approve not only the targeting procedures and guidelines required under this Act, but also the application of those guidelines.

Clarify that Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is the sole statutory basis for domestic surveillance.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.