At least there is SOME sanity left in our government....the Senate realizes the OUTRAGEOUS SCOPE OF THIS BIG BROTHER MOVE....and with JOHN POINDEXTER IN CHARGE of your PRIVATE information....incredible
Senate Blocks Funding for Pentagon Database
By Susan Cornwell
Reuters
Thursday 23 January 2003
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saying they feared government snooping against ordinary Americans, U.S.
senators voted on Thursday to block funding for a Pentagon computer project that would scour databases
for terrorist threats.
By a voice vote, the Senate voted to ban funding for the Total Information Awareness program, under
former national security adviser John Poindexter, until the Pentagon explains the program and assesses its
impact on civil liberties.
The measure, introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, also said the computer dragnet
being developed could not be deployed without congressional approval, although it allowed exceptions for
national security. It was tacked onto a spending package in the Senate, but it is not yet law.
It is now expected to go to House and Senate negotiators. If the negotiators keep the provision in the
spending package, it will advance to the House and Senate for final passage before going to the president
for signing into law.
"This makes it clear that Congress wants to make sure there is no snooping on law-abiding
Americans," Wyden told Reuters after the vote.
He said the electronic data dragnet as proposed was "the most far-reaching government surveillance
program in history."
The Defense Department says the aim of the Total Information Awareness project, which is still in its
infancy, is to seek patterns in transactions data like credit card bills and travel records to stop terrorist
plots.
Wyden and other Democrats announced last week they would try to block funding for it, citing concerns
that it will amount to electronic surveillance of personal data of all Americans by the government and
trample privacy rights.
Senior Republican senators worked with Wyden on the wording of the Senate measure, including Sen.
Charles Grassley of Iowa. He said he was worried the lines were getting blurred between domestic law
enforcement and military security efforts.
CONCERNS ABOUT POINDEXTER
Critics of the project also have expressed concern that the project is being directed by Poindexter, a
retired admiral who was convicted of deceiving Congress in the Iran-Contra scandal. His conviction was set
aside on the grounds his immunized congressional testimony had been used against him.
A Pentagon spokeswoman defended the program after the Senate vote on Thursday, saying officials
continued to believe that the research and development planned was important.
"TIA will develop innovative information technology tools that will give the Department of Defense's
intelligence, counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism communities important capabilities to prevent
terrorist attacks against the U.S.," the Pentagon spokeswoman said.
The Senate measure requires the Pentagon to report to Congress on the goals of the program within 60
days of the bill's final passage, including recommendations from the Attorney General on minimizing the
impact on civil liberties.
The measure also would keep the Pentagon from deploying the program or transferring it to another
department, such as the FBI or the new Homeland Security department, without congressional
authorization.
But these limitations would not apply if the deployment or transfer of technology was being made for
lawful foreign intelligence activities or U.S. military operations outside the United States.
Wyden said there had to be exceptions for national security. "There has got to be congressional
approval to deploy these technologies, so this information doesn't get circulated indiscriminately all over
government," he said.
"But in striking the balance, when talking about matters of national security, those matters can go
forward," he said.
CC |
