House Adjourns Without Approving Terrorism Wiretap Bill
The House of Representatives adjourned yesterday without approving a terrorism wiretap law to replace one that will expire on Saturday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to schedule a vote on the measure before the week’s recess, the New York Times reports.
Democrats balked at approving legislation that would protect telecommunications companies from lawsuits if they had participated in the government’s wiretap program. They also raised civil liberties objections to the legislation, which would replace an expiring law that permits warrantless wiretaps of communications on U.S. networks that target overseas terrorists.
The Washington Post calls the standoff “a rare uprising by Democrats against the White House on a terrorism issue” that “inspired caterwauling on both sides about the dire ramifications.”
Republicans contended the Democrats’ action could harm national security while Democrats said the administration was fear-mongering.
