Home / International / World Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
Bush signs 15-day extension of surveillance law
Adjust font size:

US President George W. Bush signs a 15-day extension to the Protect America Act after his speech, Thursday, January 31, 2008, in Las Vegas. 

US President George W. Bush signed a 15-day extension of a surveillance law on Thursday after he failed to have Congress make it permanent.

"I will sign the extension, but I expect members of both political parties to get this work done so our professionals can protect the American people," Bush said before signing the law.

The law, the Protect American Act, is set to expire on January 31.

In August, Congress hastily approved at request of Bush's administration the law, or an update to the 30-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, to allow the government temporarily having more power to intercept foreign communications without a court order even involving Americans.

However, Bush still asked Congress to make the Protect American Act a permanent and expanded law before it is expired in six months, but was opposed by many Democrats, who hope to change the law to provide additional oversight when the authorities eavesdrops on US citizens communicating with foreign parties.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid proposed earlier this month to extend the Protect America Act without expanding it, but was blocked by Senate Republicans.

The core of the controversy is whether the wireless surveillance program violated provisions of the original FISA law that requires warrants for wiretaps whenever one of the parties involved in the communication resides in the United States.
 
(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2008)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous
China Archives
Related >>
- Chinese and US Universities Open Law Center
- Bush Vetoes Stem Cell Bill Again
- White House Rejects Senate Subpoenas
- Bush Orders CIA to Comply with Int'l Torture Ban
- US President Bush Signs '9/11 Law'
Most Viewed >>
> Korean Nuclear Talks
> Reconstruction of Iraq
> Middle East Peace Process
> Iran Nuclear Issue
> 6th SCO Summit Meeting
Links
- China Development Gateway
- Foreign Ministry
- Network of East Asian Think-Tanks
- China-EU Association
- China-Africa Business Council
- China Foreign Affairs University
- University of International Relations
- Institute of World Economics & Politics
- Institute of Russian, East European & Central Asian Studies
- Institute of West Asian & African Studies
- Institute of Latin American Studies
- Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies
- Institute of Japanese Studies