fox article
The Justice Department can now ask a federal court that operates in secret to allow surveillance of a so-called lone-wolf terrorist — a suspect with
no connection to a terrorist organization like Al Qaeda or to any nation. An example of someone who would qualify is Timothy McVeigh
I beleive that this secret court already exists and has been openly admited to exist and has nothing to do with the Intelligence Reform bill. This
section forces them to get a warrant to -monitor- the Mcveighs and Kazinskys.
The bill also allows the government to deport immediately any alien who knowingly received financial support for terrorists.
Sensible enough.
The bill also gives federal judges the authority to deny bail to any terrorism suspect
Also sensible enough.
And who says anything was snuck in? A bill has portions introduced to it all the time. The senate and house reviewed the bill and approved it. Now
all the president has to do is sign it, and it becomes law. 89 to
2 in the Senate, 336 to 75 in the House.
Washington Post
the new intelligence director will have greater authority than the CIA chief does over the budgets of the 15 agencies that make up the U.S.
intelligence community
Isn't this a good thing? Taking the Budget out of the hands of a few chiefs and putting it into the public/accountability realm of the cabinet?
Overseen by a secretary that the senate has to approve?
The bill also will create a Privacy and Civil Liberties Board, designed to safeguard individuals' rights. It establishes minimum standards for
birth certificates and driver's licenses, and tightens the security of Social Security cards.
More good stuff, and they're at least trying to give some sort of structure to the concerns of the Public. I don't recall any of the major civil
rights groups having city wide rallies against this bill or putting out a media blitz to let people know that it establishes Bush as King or anything
like that.
House Majority leader in same article
"the recommendations made by the 9/11 commission have been properly deliberated, and the result is a stronger bill that will allow us to better fight
the war on terror."
So these are also some of the recommendations of the esteemed 9/11 Commission, its what groups of people have been clamouring for, demanding why these
actions weren't taken.
those mainly seeking crackdowns on illegal immigration fared less well, winning only House leaders' assurance that immigration issues will be
taken up early next year
So its an international intelligence bill, not something thats going to be for domestic issues.
who voted against it in the House?
In a 90-minute closed meeting of House Republicans yesterday morning, the chief advocate of putting more immigration restrictions in the bill --
Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (Wis.) -- implored colleagues to hold out for a better deal.[...] Sensenbrenner could prevent only 67
Republicans from voting aye. Democrats overwhelmingly supported the measure, with only eight voting no.
Here is a site that deals with the actual bill itself. There is a section of CSB or
whatever Subject headings that lets you survety it and jump to the actual text.
