Note: Alan is referring to the closed-door added provisions available at: http://jya.com/fiiti.htm From: Alan Davidson <abd@CDT.ORG> Subject: House Passes Roving Wiretaps, Expands Federal Surveillance Powers House Passes Roving Wiretaps, Expands Federal Surveillance Powers In a closed-door manuever, controversial "roving wiretap" provisions were added to a major Intelligence authorization bill and passed by the House this afternoon. Current wiretapping law allows tapping of a particular person's phones. The new provisions would dramatically expand current authority by allowing taps on any phone used by, or "proximate" to, the person being tapped -- no matter whose phone it is. Such a broad law invites abuse. In the last Congress, the full House of Representatives rejected these provisions after an open and vigorous debate. This week, behind closed doors, a conference committee added the provisions to the important Intelligence Authorization Conference Report, almost certain to pass the Congress. The provisions were not in either the original House or Senate versions of the bill. CDT is particularly concerned that such an expansion of federal authority should take place without a public debate. The text of the new roving wiretap provisions will be available this evening on CDT's Web site at: http://www.cdt.org Alan Davidson, Staff Counsel 202.637.9800 (v) Center for Democracy and Technology 202.637.0968 (f) 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 1100 <abd@cdt.org> Washington, DC 20006 PGP key via finger