Elanso

The FISA Amendments Act has however generated controversy in some circles [HAND GESTURE].

"I don't have a formal opening statement."

Liberal critics contend that its provisions amount to a constitutional farce.

"I don't recall seeing this memorandum and I don't recall specific objections of this nature."

[CAMERA RIGHT] But supporters point out [HAND GESTURE] that it is a "strong bill".

"This bill represents a strong compromise between Republicans and Democrats, giving our intelligence officials the tools they need to keep America safe and strengthen civil liberties protections," said Rep. Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican and ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee.

"I don't recall specific concerns."

Most Democrats in Congress appear to concede that the compromise strikes the right balance [HAND GESTURE] between civil liberties and unchecked government surveillance.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland said the new bill "balances the needs of our intelligence community with Americans' civil liberties, and provides critical new oversight and accountability requirements." [...]

"I don't remember doing something with this information."

Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the bill "will prevent any repeat of warrantless surveillance undertaken by the president and will hold our government accountable for its actions, past and future, through strengthened court review and congressional oversight."

"I don't remember doing that."

In many ways the bill mirrors the warrantless wiretapping program that President Bush secrectly began using in 2001.

But supporters say it also creates a legal framework for spying activities that will include significant oversight from Congress and the federal courts. [...]

"I don't recall being aware of any particular memoranda."

To address the inevitable spying that will occur on Americans in these communications, the legislation includes a number of provisions lawmakers believe will safeguard the privacy and rights of U.S. citizens.

"I don't know that I was aware of those."

In what supporters described as "rare cases," in which "critical intelligence could be lost," eavesdropping could begin before a court has an opportunity to authorize it.

"I mean, there are thousands and thousands and thousands of decisions made every day. This was one."

In such cases, officials would have to submit their surveillance plan within a week and the court would rule within a month.

"I don't know precisely when, and I cannot discuss it further without getting into classified information."

What critics of the bill fail to acknowledge is that it provides a key role for each branch of Government.

It assigns responsibilities jointly to the Attorney General (AG) and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to ensure that the Nation's chief law enforcement and intelligence officials work together in collecting foreign intelligence in accordance with the law. It requires the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA Court) to review and approve, or order modifications to, the procedures required by the Act and to ensure that those procedures are consistent with the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution.

"I can't even read this document, but I don't remember seeing it."

And it requires that information about the implementation of these new procedures be reported to Congress, to ensure that Congress can fulfill its oversight role.

"I'm not even sure this is one I've seen before."

At least annually, the AG and DNI must submit to the FISA Court for review and approval targeting procedures for making that fundamental determination.

"I don't know when I became aware of that."

The Act provides for multiple levels of oversight both within the Executive Branch, including by Department of Justice and Intelligence Community Inspectors General, and in regular reporting to both the Congress and the FISA Court.

"My memory is not perfect."

[SHOULDER SHRUG, SMILE CAMERA LEFT]