Deal Reached on Wiretap Bill

A bill to extend the government’s terrorism wiretap program and immunize telecommunications companies will be introduced in the Senate under a deal reached by both political parties and President Bush.

The Senate bill will give companies immunity for cooperating with the administration in a data-mining program, the Washington Post reports. Several lawsuits are pending against companies accused of participating.

The Senate bill, which would expire after six years, would allow the special Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to review how the government determines the targets of warrantless wiretaps. Further details were not available.

A wiretap bill in the House that provided more civil liberties protections than under present law was withdrawn after the administration objected it did not provide enough authority for terrorism surveillance.