WASHINGTON — House Democratic leaders came under criticism Saturday from President Bush, who said they are blocking intelligence legislation so lawyers can sue telephone companies for helping the government eavesdrop on suspected terrorists.
Terrorists are plotting attacks “at this very moment,” Bush said in his weekly radio address. He again urged the House to act on Senate-passed legislation needed to renew the intelligence law that expired last weekend.
The Senate bill provides retroactive protection for telecoms that wiretapped U.S. phone and computer lines at the government’s request, but without the permission of a secret court created 30 years ago to oversee such activities. The House version does not provide such immunity against lawsuits.
The Justice Department and Office of National Intelligence said Saturday that telecoms are now complying with existing surveillance warrants. The agencies’ statement reversed their declaration late Friday that some companies had refused to initiate wiretaps against people covered by orders issued under the expired law.
The statement said new surveillance activities under existing warrants will resume “for now” but that the delay “resulted in missed intelligence information.”
Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said emergency provisions of current surveillance laws are more than adequate to address emerging threats.
“We expect the House and the Senate will produce permanent legislation in the next few weeks,” said Conyers, D-Mich.
