Senators Dodd and Feingold will step up as progressive leaders and filibuster this legislation. Here's part of the joint statement they just released:
We will oppose efforts to end debate on this bill as long as it provides retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies.
*snip*
As we have explained repeatedly in the past, existing law already immunizes telephone companies that respond in good faith to a government request, as long as that request meets certain clearly spelled-out statutory requirements. This carefully designed provision protects both the companies and the privacy of innocent Americans. It gives clear guidance to companies on what government requests it should comply with and what requests it should reject because the requirements of the law are not met. The courts should be permitted to apply this longstanding provision in the pending cases to determine whether the companies that allegedly participated in the program should be granted immunity.
We also urge you to correct the significant flaws in the FISA provisions of the Senate bill, some of which were addressed in the House version. The Senate bill authorizes widespread surveillance involving innocent Americans and does not provide adequate checks and balances to protect their rights.
This filibuster may be the last chance to stop immunity from becoming law and Senators Dodd and Feingold are going to need all the help they can get in preventing their opponents from cutting off debate on this issue. That's why we need you to call your Senators right now and ask them to support the Dodd/Feingold filibuster of telecom immunity.
Tell your Senators to support the filibuster:
http://www.truemajority.org/FISAcalls/filibuster.php?state=PA
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