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WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 U.S. President George Bush has won an apparent congressional victory with a bill governing domestic spying, the Washington Post reported.
Agreement between Senate Democrats and Republicans was reached Wednesday on the overhaul of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and a competing House version was withdrawn.
The Senate draft bill includes a provision Bush lobbied for that grants immunity from litigation to telecommunication companies that turned over customer data to intelligence agencies. However, it also includes a Democrat-backed requirement that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court review government's procedures for deciding who can be the subject of warrantless surveillance.
While the White House wanted the law to be permanent, compromise led to the Democrats securing a six-year sunset provision, the report said.
In the House, the newspaper said the FISA bill withdrawal was the first time since Democrats took control of the chamber nine months ago that a major bill fell before a scheduled vote.
The existing FISA law expires in February.
Agreement between Senate Democrats and Republicans was reached Wednesday on the overhaul of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and a competing House version was withdrawn.
The Senate draft bill includes a provision Bush lobbied for that grants immunity from litigation to telecommunication companies that turned over customer data to intelligence agencies. However, it also includes a Democrat-backed requirement that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court review government's procedures for deciding who can be the subject of warrantless surveillance.
While the White House wanted the law to be permanent, compromise led to the Democrats securing a six-year sunset provision, the report said.
In the House, the newspaper said the FISA bill withdrawal was the first time since Democrats took control of the chamber nine months ago that a major bill fell before a scheduled vote.
The existing FISA law expires in February.
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