Subject: FISA strategy
Okay, we’re coming to the decision point of our fight to repeal the bad aspects of the so-called “Protect America Act” (PAA) Remember, the PAA violates the 4th Amendment by permitting government spying on American citizens without a warrant.
Here’s what we need to do . . .
Send a message to the House asking them to repeal the PAA. They’re not going to do that, but asking for it makes it more likely that they will make changes in the right direction. In addition . . .
Use your personal comments to ask your Rep. to support the RESTORE Act, which is a big improvement on PAA.
Also in your personal comments ask your Rep. to NOT grant retroactive immunity to the telecom companies that collaborated with the Bush administration in spying on Americans in violation of the law. If we can block immunity then the President will veto the bill and we stand a better chance of having the PAA sunset out of existence.
Also use your personal comments to ask your House Rep. to oppose any attempts to substitute a different bill for the RESTORE Act. A move will be made on the House floor to replace the RESTORE Act with a bad bill from the Senate. This must be prevented.
You can send your message here.
Finally, help us and our coalition allies put pressure on the Senate Judiciary Committee to not cave-in on the Telecom Immunity issue. Call the Republican and Democrat phone numbers for the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell them you want the committee to oppose immunity for the telecom companies in any revision of the “Protect America Act.” Here are the phone numbers
:Democratic Phone: (202) 224-7703
Republican Phone: (202) 224-5225
In addition, if YOUR Senator is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee call him or her directly and deliver the same message. Here is the list with phone numbers
:Patrick J. Leahy, D-VERMONT 202-224-4242
Arlen Specter, R-PENNSYLVANIA 202-224-4254
Edward M. Kennedy, D-MASSACHUSETTS 202-224-4543
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., D-DELAWARE 202-224-5042
Orrin G. Hatch, R-UTAH 202-224-5251
Herb Kohl, D-WISCONSIN 202-224-5653
Charles E. Grassley, R-IOWA 202-224-3744
Dianne Feinstein, D-CALIFORNIA 202-224-3841
Jon Kyl, R-ARIZONA 202-224-4521
Russell D. Feingold, D-WISCONSIN 202-224-5323
Jeff Sessions, R-ALABAMA 202-224-4124
Charles E. Schumer, D-NEW YORK 202-224-6542
Lindsey Graham, R-SOUTH CAROLINA 202-224-5972
Richard J. Durbin, D-ILLINOIS 202-224-2152
John Cornyn, R-TEXAS 202-224-2934
Benjamin L. Cardin, D-MARYLAND 202-224-4524
Sam Brownback, R-KANSAS 202-224-6521
Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RHODE ISLAND 202-224-2921
Tom Coburn, R-OKLAHOMA 202-224-5754
We’re nearing the decision point. Let’s maintain the pressure. Thank you for being a DC Downsizer.
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.