Letter from my Rep -- She gets it!!

[immoderate]

I wonder what we can do to help.

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting my office about the National Security Agency's clandestine domestic
surveillance program, which eavesdrops on American citizens without a warrant. I support Congresswoman
Heather Wilson (R-NM) in her call for a full Congressional inquiry into this secret, illegal
program. Only through a full inquiry - with the power to subpoena documents and compel administration
officials to testify under oath - can the true scope of this program be known.

We do know that the secret NSA program intercepts a large volume of telephone and internet
communications by tapping into data and voice networks in the United States. Although the Bush
Administration has attempted to package the program as a "terrorist surveillance" program, this program
unlawfully monitors purely domestic communications. When this unlawful program was revealed,
President Bush immediately went on the offensive, presenting Americans with the false choice between
liberty or security. However, I believe that American citizens can be both safe and free, and that
is why, in a January letter to the President, I urged him to follow the law and to respect the
privacy rights of all Americans.

To be sure, communications with foreign terrorist groups must be monitored. However, they must be
scrutinized within the rule of law, including the Fourth Amendment of the United States
Constitution and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was enacted in 1978 to end unlawful
domestic spying by the FBI. The Bush administration currently bypasses the FISA courts because it
contends that its legal thresholds are too high and its procedural demands too great for effective
counter-terrorism. These claims are wrong. Not only have past FISA courts approved surveillance
warrants at a staggeringly high 99.9 percent rate between 1978 and 2004, but the FISA law itself
also allows surveillance warrants to be issued retroactively to accommodate fast-moving anti-terror
investigations. It's no wonder that one of the FISA court judges resigned in protest.

Having successfully shut out the courts, President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales are
now stonewalling Congressional inquiries in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Please
know that as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I will oppose further attempts to
unconstitutionally emasculate these co-equal branches of government. It is possible to ensure the security
of all Americans and to bring this program within meaningful judicial review and Congressional
oversight, and I will continue to fight for both in Congress.

Again, I want to thank you for contacting my office about this very important issue. Please do
not hesitate to contact me about this or any other matter.

Please visit my website at www.house.gov/schultz for additional information and legislative issue
updates.

Sincerely,


Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Member of Congress

Debbie is great. With some more like her in Congress, she could be the Liz Holtzman of this era. She sounds like one of us!

--IMM

[Nickster]

1. Randi Rhodes adores Debbie, talks about her all the time. n/t

[Nickster]

2. Self Delete DUPE

[babylonsister]

3. Everytime I've seen her, I've been really impressed!

You are so lucky to have her!

Then again, compared to mine, DeLay....need I say more?

[immoderate]

5. Sometimes I'd like to be in a Repub district.

So I can give them hell every day!

Whenever I contact Debbie, she's way ahead of me.

--IMM

[AndyA]

4. I've seen Debbie on CSpan - she is a great example

of what America needs right now. I'm jealous of anyone fortunate enough to have her represent them. She's a good one, we need a lot more like Debbie!