Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.,
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,
On The Bush Administration’s Announcement
That It Will Make FISA Court Orders Available
January 31, 2007

“I welcome the President’s decision to agree to our bipartisan request for these court orders.  As soon as we learned of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court’s orders authorizing the NSA’s wiretapping program, Senator Specter and I asked that they be made available to us from the Court and the Bush Administration.  The Chief Judge of the Court approved providing the orders but left the final decision to the Executive Branch. 

“The President has made the right decision in changing his previous course of unilaterally reauthorizing the warrantless surveillance program, to now following the law by seeking court approval for these wiretaps.  Only with an understanding of the contours of the wiretapping program and the scope of the Court’s orders can the Judiciary Committee determine whether the Administration has reached the proper balance to protect Americans while following the law and the principles of checks and balances.  I look forward to reviewing the Court’s orders and then deciding what further oversight or legislative action is necessary.”

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