ACLU Urges Senate to Reject New Specter NSA Legislation, Bill Would Face Reconciliation with Flawed Wilson Measure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media@dcaclu.org

WASHINGTON – As Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) today introduced the “Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Oversight and Resource Enhancement Act of 2006,” the American Civil Liberties Union renewed its call to Congress to reject any legislation that would authorize the illegal and warrantless surveillance of Americans by the National Security Agency.

The following may be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

“Last Tuesday, the American people spoke clearly – they want a Congress willing to serve as an independent branch and stand up to the president’s ongoing abuse of power. President Bush insists on congressional approval of his warrantless spying program while the Republicans still have control. He wants Congress to cover his tracks and provide immunity to those that broke the law. Congress should be investigating this illegal program, not approving it.

“Now is not the time for Congress to focus on controversial issues. The majority of the appropriations bills have yet to be adopted. If there is to be a new spirit of bipartisan cooperation in Congress, lawmakers must not legislate in haste and without a full understanding of the facts. If the new Specter bill were adopted, it would be reconciled with the horrible Wilson bill, putting the privacy of innocent Americans at great risk. Senators must remember: Americans are not the enemy. This is one issue on which the lame-duck Congress should ‘Just Say No!’”

For more on the ACLU’s concerns with the NSA warrantless surveillance program, go to: www.aclu.org/nsaspying