Senators Push to Curb NSA's FISA Authorities

Amid growing concerns about loose oversight and insufficient transparency associated with the government's electronic surveillance operations, lawmakers on Thursday plan to introduce legislation that would rein in the authorities of the secret court operating under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

At a Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) announced plans to back bills that would bring proceedings at the FISA court more in line with those at conventional judicial courts, and roll back some of the secrecy provisions to shed more light on judges' rulings and the extent to which phone and Internet companies are sharing information about their customers' communications.

Franken, citing the "lack of transparency around these programs," seemed to react with skepticism to the testimony of intelligence officials who insisted that they are eager to engage in the debate over the privacy implications of the National Security Agency's surveillance of phone records and digital communications.