Rumor: FISA Deal Reached in the House

Posted 21 hours ago by mlh in Politics | 4 comments | 88 views | Group With

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There is a rumor spreading throughout the "left side of the spectrum" that there is an underhanded Democrat Party cave in soon to be revealed. In a post running around on the Hill, the deal could be imminent.

It is looking more and more that the much needed America Protection Act will finally be resolved and passed without too much fan-fare.

[...] To break an impasse over legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, House Democratic leaders are considering the option of taking up a Senate-passed FISA bill in stages, congressional sources said today. Under the plan, the House would vote separately on the first title of the bill, which authorizes surveillance activities, and then on the bill’s second title, which grants retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies that aided the Bush administration’s warrantless electronic surveillance activities. The two would be recombined, assuming passage of both titles. In this way, Democratic leaders believe they can give an out to lawmakers opposed to the retroactive immunity provision. Republican leadership sources said their caucus would back such a plan because not only would it give Democratic leaders the out they need, it would provide a political win for the GOP. It remains to be seen if such a move will placate liberal Democrats who adamantly oppose giving in to the Bush administration on the immunity issue. [...]

Not withstanding the usual bickering, this is a move in the correct direction for all Americans.