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Anger mounts in Congress over US telephone surveillance programmes Anger mounts in Congress over US telephone surveillance programmes
(35 minutes later)
Anger was mounting in Congress on Tuesday night as politicians, briefed for the first time on the US government's telephone surveillance programmes, called for an immediate bipartisan response to what they called "spying on Americans". Anger was mounting in Congress on Tuesday night as politicians, briefed for the first time on the US government's surveillance programmes, called for an immediate bipartisan response to what they called "spying on Americans".
Intelligence chiefs and FBI officials had hoped that the closed-door briefing with a full meeting of the House of Representatives would help reassure members about the widespread collection of US phone records revealed last week by the Guardian. Intelligence chiefs and FBI officials had hoped that the closed-door briefing with a full meeting of the House of Representatives would help reassure members about the widespread collection of US phone records revealed by the Guardian.
But senior figures from both parties went into the meeting with "serious concerns" and came out more alarmed at the extent of the programme that many claimed never to have heard of until last week. But senior figures from both parties emerged from the meeting alarmed at the extent of the programme that many claimed never to have heard of until the revelations.
Xavier Becerra, leader of the House minority caucus and one of the most senior Democrats in Congress, said there hadn't been enough oversight of government surveillance programmes. The congressional fury came at the end of a day of fast-moving developments.
"We are now glimpsing the damage," he said, referring to failures to repeal the Patriot Act sooner. "It was an extraordinary measure for an extraordinary time but it shouldn't have been extended." • In a lawsuit filed in New York, the American Civil Liberties Union accused the US government of a process that was "akin to snatching every American's address book".
• On Capitol Hill, a group of US senators introduced a bill aimed at forcing the US federal government to disclose the opinions of a secretive surveillance court that determines the scope of the eavesdropping on Americans' phone records and internet communications.
• A leading member of the Senate intelligence committee came close to saying that James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence, misled him on the scope of government surveillance during a March hearing.
• In Brussels, the European commission's vice-president, Viviane Reding, sent a letter demanding answers to seven detailed questions to the US attorney general, Eric Holder, demanding explanations about Prism and other American data snooping programmes.
• Chuck Hagel, said he ordered a wide-ranging review of the Defense Department's reliance on private contractors. Whistleblower Edward Snowden, had top-security clearance for his work at Booz Allen Hamilton, an NSA contractor. Booz Allen issued a statement on Tuesday saying that Snowden had been fired for "violations of the firm's code of ethics".
• Snowden checked out of the hotel where he was staying in Hong Kong on Monday and moved to an undisclosed location. The director of Human Rights Watch, Peter Bouckaert, said Snowden should not consider himself protected in the Chinese province.
After the congressional briefing, Xavier Becerra, leader of the House minority caucus, said there had not been enough oversight of government surveillance programmes. "We are now glimpsing the damage," he said, referring to failures to repeal the Patriot Act sooner. "It was an extraordinary measure for an extraordinary time but it shouldn't have been extended."
Others said the White House and intelligence committee leaders had been misleading when they claimed all members of Congress were briefed about the telephone record-keeping programme.Others said the White House and intelligence committee leaders had been misleading when they claimed all members of Congress were briefed about the telephone record-keeping programme.
"There was a letter that we were supposed to have received in 2011 but I can't find it and most of my friends in Congress did not receive this either," said New Jersey Democrat Bill Pascrell who claimed the widespread collection of phone data amounting to "spying on Americans. "This is one of the first briefings I have been too where I actually learned something." "There was a letter that we were supposed to have received in 2011 but I can't find it and most of my friends in Congress did not receive this either," said New Jersey Democrat Bill Pascrell, who claimed the widespread collection of phone data amounted to "spying on Americans … This is one of the first briefings I have been too where I actually learned something."
But the anger was apparent among both parties. The anger was apparent in both parties. The conservative Republican Steve King of Iowa predicted joint action from Congress would be imminent. "There is going to be a bipartisan response to this," he said.
Conservative Republican Steve King of Iowa predicted joint action from Congress would be imminent. "There is going to be a bipartisan response to this," he said. Pascrell said: "There were no Democrats or Republicans in there at all, which is a healthy sign, it means we can get something done about this."
"There were no Democrats or Republicans in there at all, which is a healthy sign, it means we can get something done about this," added Pascrell.
Another Republican, Tom McClintock of California, claimed the programme amounted to an abuse of fourth amendment rights. "Going back to the days of British rule we have sought to stop the authorities barging in on people's privacy just in case they found something," he said. "The fourth amendment was passed to make sure that never happened and it is time to make sure it does not ever happen again."Another Republican, Tom McClintock of California, claimed the programme amounted to an abuse of fourth amendment rights. "Going back to the days of British rule we have sought to stop the authorities barging in on people's privacy just in case they found something," he said. "The fourth amendment was passed to make sure that never happened and it is time to make sure it does not ever happen again."
Elijah Cummings, another Democrat unhappy at the Obama administration's security practices came out of the secret briefing saying: "We learned a lot [but] I'm not comfortable." Elijah Cummings, another Democrat unhappy at the Obama administration's security practices, came out of the secret briefing saying: "We learned a lot [but] I'm not comfortable."
The briefing followed a lull in anger over the surveillance programmes as attention was diverted toward whistleblower Edward Snowden. The briefing followed a lull in anger over the surveillance programmes as attention was diverted towards whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Earlier, Republican House Speaker, John Boehner, called Edward Snowden – the 29-year-old former intelligence contractor who revealed the surveillance programmes – a traitor. Earlier the Republican House Speaker, John Boehner, called Snowden – the 29-year-old former intelligence contractor who revealed the surveillance programmes – a traitor.
But it now looks increasingly certain that Congress will take steps to try to rein in the power of the intelligence services.But it now looks increasingly certain that Congress will take steps to try to rein in the power of the intelligence services.
In the Senate, a bipartisan group of eight senators introduced a bill aimed at forcing the US federal government to disclose the opinions of a secretive surveillance court that determines the scope of the eavesdropping on Americans' phone records and internet communications.
And in a lawsuit filed in New York, the American Civil Liberties Union accused the US government of a process that was "akin to snatching every American's address book".
Pascrell said: "People should know what's going on in their name but we need to start with Congress knowing what the heck is going on."Pascrell said: "People should know what's going on in their name but we need to start with Congress knowing what the heck is going on."
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