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http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/03/09/news/nation/...Gonzales: Congress doesn't need to act on NSA program
WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales made clear Wednesday that the White House is not seeking congressional action to inscribe the National Security Agency's monitoring into U.S. law, even as members of Congress negotiate with the Bush administration about legislation.
Gonzales maintained the program is legal the way it is.
"There's a general consensus -- quite frankly -- that this is a needed program" designed to listen to al-Qaida's communications, Gonzales told the National Association of Attorneys General Wednesday. "The concern I think that people have, which is a natural concern, is that, is this a limited program?"
Gonzales said administration officials have gone a long way in reassuring lawmakers about the NSA's operations. Over four years, he said, the administration has met "with select congressional leadership on both sides of the aisle about the scope of this program -- everything that we're doing related to this program."