WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The debate about permanently updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act renewed Tuesday during a hearing before a U.S. congressional panel.
Calling the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee hearing to order, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., said the "right to privacy is too important to be sacrificed in a last-minute rush before a congressional recess" when Congress passed changes to FISA less than two months ago. The changes expanding the government's surveillance capabilities were made for six months.
Conyers said questions have been raised about whether changes reduced the level of oversight necessary regarding surveillance to safeguard citizens' rights and "whether that was the appropriate course of action and what this Congress can do to restore the proper balance."
In his opening remarks, Mike McConnell, director of national intelligence, said the Protect America Act that updated FISA "has already made the nation safer."
After the law was enacted, "we took immediate action to close critical foreign intelligence gaps related to terrorist threats," he said. "I want to assure the Congress that we will cooperate in executing this law, and subject to the appropriate oversight, not only by the Congress but by the court."
