Pelosi, 153 House Democrats tell Obama of "lingering questions and concerns" about NSA programs

[ProSense]

Pelosi, 153 House Democrats tell Obama of "lingering questions and concerns" about NSA programs

<...>

The letter's text:

Dear Mr. President:

Thank you for your leadership in honoring our responsibility to protect and defend the American people. As you know, our challenge as elected officials is to preserve Americans’ liberties while protecting our national security.

This week, the House of Representatives considered an amendment offered by Representatives Amash and Conyers to H.R. 2397, the Fiscal Year 2014 Defense Appropriations bill. The Amash-Conyers amendment would have limited NSA's ability to collect bulk telecommunications records pursuant to Section 215 of the Patriot Act as codified in Section 501 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Although the amendment was defeated 205-217, it is clear that concerns remain about the continued implementation of the program in its current form.

Although some of us voted for and others against the amendment, we all agree that there are lingering questions and concerns about the current 215 collection program. These include:

• Whether the bulk metadata telecommunications collection program sufficiently protects the privacy and civil liberties of Americans.
  
  
• Whether the program could be tailored more narrowly to better ensure the protection of privacy and civil liberties.
  
  
• Whether the law is being implemented in a manner consistent with Congressional intent.
  
  
• How we can ensure greater transparency regarding FISA court operations, decision making, and issuance of orders.
  
  
• Whether changes to the current FISA Court structure are needed.

Congress must examine the various national security collection programs and consider amendments to the law. We have been assured that the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has embarked on a review of the collection programs done pursuant to FISA and the Patriot Act, and has agreed to review various legislative proposals.

We look forward to working with you and Administration officials to address the concerns outlined above and to explore options which will preserve Americans' privacy and civil liberties while protecting our national security.

Thank you for your leadership and your attention to these concerns."

http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washington/2013/07/pelosi-153-house-democrats-tell-obama-of-lingering-questions-and-concerns-about-nsa-programs.html

http://www.democraticleader.gov/Pelosi_Letter_to_Obama_on_NSA

[RobertEarl]

1. Randian conspiracy?

How dare they question Obama.

They must be closet republicans and racist, right?

[ProSense]

3. Here is

"Randian conspiracy?"

...a thread about Rand Paul: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023345646

[Cryptoad]

20. Hell,,,,

75% of the House doesn't know what a database is!

[think]

2. Thank you

It's a start...

[MotherPetrie]

4. The WH will just forward their unsternly worded letter to the NSA.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Congress must be the one to change this law, not just "express concerns"

Now let's see if this guy is as into "repealing" as he claims.

[Cryptoad]

21. can you really

see congress passing a law that gives our enemies private access to all our communication systems?

[Scurrilous]

6. K & R

[99th_Monkey]

7. K & R ~ nt

[railsback]

8. In other words, the NSA is here to stay

Snowden is still a man without a country, holed up in a Moscow airport, and Greenwald is still trying to sell a book.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. CYA for Pelosi after she voted for the NSA.

[frylock]

15. yep..

i'm sure she got an earful over the weekend.

[avaistheone1]

18. I certainly hope so.

Us average Joes don't like this spying on Americans crap.

[kentuck]

17. And most of the progressives that went along with her at her request....

will not do so in the next vote. That's about 75% of the entire Democratic caucus. If the same number of Repubs vote the next time, the bill to restrain the NSA will pass the House of Representatives.

[FreakinDJ]

10. Lip Service

[leftyohiolib]

11. i sent nancy a letter re"lingering questions and concerns" over the illegality of bush's presidency

she told me impeachment is off the table but im sure the letter will look good in re-election campaigns ads.
why is she writing to potus about this anyway oh that's right , campaign ads, give em hell nancy.

[Enrique]

12. this has nothing to do with Snowden

she was planning on writing this letter anyway.

[ProSense]

13. Snowden is a "hero"

I think he should come back and face the music.

Think of the parades!!!

[bahrbearian]

14. Ya, they will parade him into solitary confinement.`

[Major Hogwash]

16. He won't come back of his own accord.

So, the President is sending Steven Seagal over.

"I'm just a cook."

No, you're not!!!

[Savannahmann]

19. Then you'll agree that Washington must turn Lady over to the Itallians right?

You know, Robert Lady, the CIA station chief who led the effort to kidnap, hold in black prison sites, and torture an innocent man? That Robert Lady.