Congress pushes surveillance program changes into 2014; White House review could spur action
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - This June 6, 2013, file photo shows a sign outside the National Security Agency (NSA) campus in Fort Meade, Md. A White House review of U.S. surveillance programs has, for now, given Congress a bit of political cover for failing to enact reforms to spy systems this year and could break a legislative logjam after months of global outrage over privacy intrusions. Since last summer, a deeply divided Congress has tussled without resolution over competing plans to protect Americans’ privacy rights by limiting National Security Agency powers to track terrorists.(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) (The Associated Press)
A White House review of U.S. surveillance programs has given Congress a bit of political cover after lawmakers failed to make changes this year to spy operations.
The review also could break a legislative logjam after months of outrage over privacy intrusions.
Since last summer, a deeply divided Congress has tussled over competing plans to protect Americans' privacy rights by limiting National Security Agency powers to track terrorists.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But the White House review has given Congress some guidance by offering tough recommendations for reform. The review was done by a presidential advisory panel and was released this past week.
Lawmakers who face the voters next fall can point to the recommendations to save face politically with security-minded constituents if surveillance is aggressively scaled back.