Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


US Lawmakers Debate Controversial Surveillance Authorization Bill

Katherine Gypson

   WASHINGTON - U.S. lawmakers debated a controversial set of surveillance
   authorizations Wednesday, with the threat of a presidential veto
   looming over their efforts to pass the Foreign Intelligence
   Surveillance Act (FISA).

   The FISA bill, which had passed the Republican-majority U.S. Senate
   earlier this month in a bipartisan 80-16 vote, faced new challenges
   when the Democratic-majority U.S. House added amendments. Those changes
   caused the U.S. Department of Justice to withdraw support for the bill
   Wednesday, threatening a veto from U.S President Donald Trump.

   "Given the cumulative negative effect of these legislative changes on
   the Department's ability to identify and track terrorists and spies,
   the Department must oppose the legislation now under consideration in
   the House. If passed, the Attorney General would recommend that the
   President veto the legislation," Assistant Attorney General Stephen
   Boyd said in a statement.

   The law establishing procedures for surveillance of foreign powers or
   foreign agents has drawn criticism from defenders of civil liberties
   who seek protections for American citizens who may be subject to
   unlawful searches in the course of collections.

.