FISA compromise in the works

WASHINGTON, March 4 (UPI) -- A compromise on intelligence-gathering legislation may be in the offing as U.S. House of Representatives and Senate leaders scheduled talks on the issue.

A senior House Democratic aide said a bill could be sent to U.S. President George Bush as early as next week, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Among other things, the breakthrough on legislation that would reauthorize and modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act would grant telecommunications companies some form of immunity from lawsuits for providing information to government investigators without a warrant, said Wyndee R. Parker, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence general counsel. The Senate measure includes immunity; a previously passed House bill doesn't.

Parker said action was delayed partly because all House Judiciary Committee members needed access to relevant documents the Bush administration sent to phone companies. House leaders said full access to the communication was necessary before they would consider immunity language.

A group of several moderate to conservative House Democrats urged House leaders to approve the Senate bill. Some aides also discussed the possibility of the House passing the Senate version in two votes -- one dealing with revising FISA provisions and the second concerning immunity.