Quotes about Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

Ari Melber

The 'FISA Amendments Act' would gut the oversight system established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, which subjected domestic spying to review by a special intelligence court.

William Binney

I think the FISA court's basically totally irrelevant.

Mark Shields

The Bush administration is not arguing that the President is above the law; they are arguing that the President is the law.

The President had authorized the NSA to spy Americans who might have been suspected of being themselves or being in contact with terrorists without obtaining permission of a court including the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) special court that had been established for these cases. Instead the administration argues that it was inherent in the powers of the Presidency in time of war.

Asha Rangappa

In 1978, Congress passed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act after hearings exposed the F.B.I.'s egregious practice of illegally spying on civil rights leaders, black nationalists, Communists and Vietnam War protesters.

Dutch Ruppersberger

I believe that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act must be reformed. We must improve the American public's confidence in, and perception of, our national security programs, by increasing transparency, strengthening oversight, and safeguarding civil liberties.

Barton Gellman

The NSA is forbidden to 'target' American citizens, green-card holders or companies for surveillance without an individual warrant from a judge.

Michael Hayden

The attorney general is the only one who can authorize what's called an emergency FISA.

William Safire

There’s always this struggle in a war between liberty and security … during war time we have these excesses and afterwards we apologize.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Quotes