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House Democrats Withdraw Controversial Surveillance Authorization Bill

Katherine Gypson

   WASHINGTON - U.S. House Democrats cancelled a scheduled vote on a
   controversial set of surveillance authorization measures Thursday,
   citing the threat of a presidential veto looming over their efforts to
   pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

   "The Administration --particularly some in the Justice Department --
   would like nothing better than to not have a bill," House Speaker Nancy
   Pelosi said in a statement Thursday. "Without a bill, there would be
   none of the bill's important protections for civil liberties. Without a
   bill, there would be all the leeway in the world not to protect
   Americans' privacy. Clearly, because House Republicans have prioritized
   politics over our national security."

   But the FISA bill, which had passed the Republican-majority U.S. Senate
   earlier this month in a bipartisan 80-16 vote, faced challenges from
   both parties when the Democratic-majority U.S. House added amendments.

   Changes in the House version caused the U.S. Department of Justice to
   withdraw support for the bill Wednesday, threatening a veto from
   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.

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