Cheney pushes for quick action on FISA

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said Wednesday making permanent a key intelligence-gathering law before it expires is vital to preserve national security.

Congress last year passed the Protect America Act, which updated the 30-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. President George Bush signed the measure, set to expire Feb. 1, ensuring "we could quickly close the intelligence gap," Cheney said in remarks to the Heritage Foundation, a Washington conservative think tank.

"(As) a result, the intelligence community has been able to do a much better job safeguarding the American people," he said.

Cheney urged Congress to make the changes permanent, rather than extend the law. Congressional Democratic leaders have raised the possibility of extending the current legislation by a month to allow for debate.

"We can always revisit a law that's on the books. That's part of the job of the elected branches of government," Cheney said. "But there is no sound reason to pass critical legislation ... and slap an expiration date on it."

The law must extend immunity to private telecommunications companies "who assist the government in tracking terrorists."

"(A) failure to enact a permanent FISA update with liability protections would have predictable and serious consequences," Cheney said.