Getting Cryptic E-mail from an ASS

I wrote to congrASSman Jon Porter (R-NV03-BushAssLicker) about not allowing the Tel Com companies to have immunity for illegally helping the Bush Crime Family with their warrantless wiretapping of our phones, e-mails, etc... and this is what I get back - not his take on it, but a rehash of the Bill. One wonders why I call him an ASS!!!

Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 3773, the Responsible Electronic Surveillance That is Overseen, Reviewed, and Effective Act of 2007 or RESTORE Act of 2007. I appreciate hearing from you and having the benefit of your views.

As you may know, my colleague, Representative John Conyers (D-MI), introduced the RESTORE Act. This legislation seeks to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to provide that a court order is not required for the acquisition of communication between non-U.S. persons who are not located within the United States for collecting foreign intelligence information, whether or not the communication passes through the United States or the surveillance device is located within the United States.

The RESTORE Act would also require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Attorney General (AG) to jointly apply to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for an order, or the extension of an order, authorizing for up to one year the acquisition of communications of persons outside the United States who are non-U.S. persons. One of the more controversial provisions in this legislation concerns retroactive immunity. This legislation does not provide for retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that participated in the Terrorist Surveillance Program (TSP).

Presently, the RESTORE Act is awaiting the completion of action in the House of Representatives. Please know that I will be sure to keep your views in mind when this legislation is addressed by the full House of Representatives. (in whose universe??)

Again, thank you for writing. Please feel free to contact me in the future with any additional comments or concerns you may have.

Sincerely,

Jon C. Porter

Member of Congress (Hopefully not for another term!!!)