Bush calls for permanent law to legalize eavesdropping without warrants

By Xinhua

Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush called on Wednesday for a permanent and expanded law to allow the government to eavesdrop without warrants on foreign terror suspects.


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During a speech addressed to the National Security Agency, Bush said that without such a law, “Our national security professionals will lose critical tools they need to protect our country.”

In August, Congress hastily approved a new law, the Protect American Act, to allow the government temporarily having more power to intercept foreign communications without a court order even involving Americans.

However, Bush asked Congress to make the Protect American Act a permanent and expanded law before it expires in six months.

“The decisions Congress makes will directly affect our ability to save American lives,” Bush said. “I look forward to working with Congress to enact this legislation as quickly as possible, so that our intelligence officials will continue to have the tools they need to keep the American people safe.”

He also urged Congress to take up other critical proposals included in the comprehensive FISA reform submitted in April.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, provides a critical legal foundation for intelligence community to monitor communications while protecting Americans’ freedom, Bush said.

The 30-year-old FISA ruled that warrants for eavesdropping must be obtained from a secret intelligence court.

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