NSA winds down once-secret phone-records collection program

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: AP

The National Security Agency has begun winding down its collection and storage of American phone records after the Senate failed to agree on a path forward to change or extend the once-secret program ahead of its expiration at the end of the month.

Barring an 11th hour compromise when the Senate returns to session May 31, a much-debated provision of the Patriot Act - and some other lesser known surveillance tools - will sunset at midnight that day. The change also would have a major impact on the FBI, which uses the Patriot Act and the other provisions to gather records in investigations of suspected spies and terrorists.

In a chaotic scene during the wee hours of Saturday, Senate Republicans blocked a bill known as the USA Freedom Act, which would have ended the NSA's bulk collection but preserved its ability to search the records held by the phone companies on a case-by-case basis. The bill was backed by President Barack Obama, House Republicans and the nation's top law enforcement and intelligence officials.

It fell just three votes short of the 60 needed for passage. All the "no" votes but one were cast by Republicans, some of whom said they thought the USA Freedom Act didn't go far enough to help the NSA maintain its capabilities.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NSA_SURVEILLANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-05-23-14-02-42

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I'm sure it doesn't matter it's not like the NSA and their bosses give a shit about the LAW. Thanks Edward Snowden for all you've done to reveal this modern day police state.

[bemildred]

1. This will be interesting, will they really shut it down? nt

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. Who's watching the watchers to make sure they actually are?

I mean sure, technically, Congress has 'oversight', but we've already seen that they feel free to blatantly lie to Congress, so how do we really know?

[bemildred]

4. Well yeah, but they can't claim misunderstanding now either.

And the section 215 fig leaf is gone. So they have to be a lot more secret or a lot more blatant. My money is on the first of those, and hence greater restrictions on collection, and a big effort in more underhanded methods of collection.

[pipoman]

3. Suuure they will...

[bemildred]

5. Jobs are at stake, massive quantities of computer hardware will lie idle in warehouses.

The North American electic grid will collapse from the sudden power surge. Something must be done.

[Demeter]

12. They can just turn off a couple of nukes, and it's all good

as for the jobs....welcome to the food stamp line, suckers! Now you'll get some idea of how real people live.

[lastlib]

17. No. It will continue under a disguise.

Black funding. Congress and the American people will never know it.

[Android3.14]

6. They were doing it before the PATRIOT Act and they will continue afterwards.

eom

[newfie11]

7. We know what happens to whistle blowers in America.

I don't expect anyone to come forward about the NSA still spying for the very reason they will go to jail.

[merrily]

8. Not sure if I buy they are winding it down, especially this far in advance.

[lastlib]

18. I certainly would never trust those f*ckers.....

too much at stake for them to just close it down.

[Ford_Prefect]

9. Nothing in the AP story describes any winding down activity. Its only a headline with no substance.

As I said elsewhere: in the past they would simply rename the project, reassign the same personnel under the new headings, and dig up funding from alternate sources. The scale of the project and its costs seem a bit large to manage this way. Maybe they will split it up under several headings, tasked and paid for accordingly. If the MIC budget is as deep as we believe it actually is, they should have no problem affording it.

What will they do about the stored information and any ongoing use of those files is another matter I think.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

10. the NSA head has lied to congress before. Color me skeptical.

NSA is transforming itself into a secret police force. I have real problems believing them.

[Demeter]

11. Just keep the pressure on, so they don't sneak back!

[joanbarnes]

13. The program that never existed is winding down?

[reddread]

14. TIA being cancelled again?

[quadrature]

15. c'mon... who believes this? ...nt

[woo me with science]

16. Liars. nt