Bush signs 15-day FISA extension

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush signed a 15-day extension Thursday to allow members of Congress to debate intelligence legislation due to expire Friday.

The extension to the Protect America Act gives "Congress time to pass a good piece of legislation that makes sure our professionals have the tools necessary to do their job and provides liability protections to carriers who it is assumed helped us in protecting the American people," Bush said in Las Vegas during remarks on the global war on terror. He signed the extension after his remarks.

Congress is considering the Protect America Act, a temporary measure updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and was to sunset Friday. The Senate is divided about the immunity provision, turning back a Senate Judiciary Committee measure that didn't include immunity language. An intelligence panel version that hasn't reached the Senate floor includes the immunity provision.

"In order to protect the American people, our professionals need to have the tools necessary to do their job you expect them to do," Bush said. "And one such tool is a surveillance program that guarantees the rights of our citizens, but doesn't extend those same guarantees to those who would do us harm."