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FISA Court Extends Section 215 Bulk Surveillance For 90 Days

Posted by samzenpus on from the all-the-better-to-hear-you-with dept.

Trailrunner7 notes that the bulk telephone collection program was just extended another 90 days. "The secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has authorized a 90-day extension to the Section 215 bulk telephone collection program used by the National Security Agency, giving the agency through the end of February to run the program in the absence of legislation establishing a new authority.

On Monday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence revealed that the administration had applied for a 90-day extension to the existing Section 215 authority, and that the FISC had approved the request, extending the authority through Feb. 27.

'The Administration welcomes the opportunity to work with the new Congress to implement the changes the President has called for. Given that legislation has not yet been enacted, and given the importance of maintaining the capabilities of the telephony metadata program, the government has sought a 90-day reauthorization of the existing program, as modified by the changes the President directed in January,' a statement from the Office of the DNI and the Office of the Attorney General said."

6 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. When are Americans going to wake up? by neo-mkrey · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And realize they now live in a police state?

    1. Re:When are Americans going to wake up? by faraway · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Right after American Idle.

      And I know what idols are.

    2. Re:When are Americans going to wake up? by Charliemopps · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And realize they now live in a police state?

      Most don't know the difference.
      We've been in a police state since the Civil war.
      Once the feds take power... no matter how justified they are in that... they never give it up again.

    3. Re:When are Americans going to wake up? by sjames · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Go to the airport. See how close to a plane you can get (with ticket in hand) before someone demands to see your papers (and x-ray your bags and scan your body/pat you down). Crack a bomb joke and see how that goes for you. When they fondle your junk, be sure to tell them you expect a happy ending.

      You may or may not have big trouble if you try to video record cops. Let us know when you get out.

      We have a secret court that has decided to continue permitting a spy agency to spy on citizens in their homes in spite of an explicit expiration date on the law.

      We have the highest incarceration rate in the world. Most of the people in prison were coerced into waiving their right to a trial.

  2. Re:Illegal? by NatasRevol · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What happened to the horror of 'legislating from the bench'?!

    This is it.

    --
    There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
  3. Re:Hope and change by ZenDragon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The patriot act was passed under Bush's watch, and is partially what has enabled this mess in the first place. I'm not defending Obama, he officially became a scum bag in my book after he campaigned on the premise that he would get rid the Patriot Act, but renewed it shortly after taking office. My point is, they are both equally responsible, and equally douchey.