Todays news from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.): Obama Proposes NSA Reforms: President Obama proposed modest reforms to National Security Agency surveillance programs but maintained that bulk data collection programs are necessary to prevent terrorist attacks. Sen. Bernie Sanders told CNNs Wolf Blitzer he would go further than Obama to protect the privacy rights of the 99.99 percent of Americans who have nothing to do with terrorism. Sanders told CNN’s Jim Sciutto the program is unconstitutional. “When every single phone call made in the United States is kept on file by the government or some other entity, I think youre talking about a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment. Vermont Delegation on NSA Spying: On WCAX-TV, WFFF-TV and in the Burlington Free Press, Sen. Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch faulted Obama for not going far enough with his reforms. Sen. Patrick Leahy said Obama ordered some “significant changes,” but that more are needed from Congress. Sanders said he is bringing civil liberties experts to a town meeting Feb. 11. at Vermont’s capital to discuss the issue of domestic surveillance, the Times Argus and Rutland Herald reported. What If Nixon Had the NSA?: Sanders on Friday raised the possibility of what the bulk data storage means for a future unscrupulous president or rogue operator at the NSA. I want people to think, if Nixon had the resources and the technology that now exists. Think of what he would have done, Sanders said on CNN. Sanders said the NSA still “has the potential to give an unscrupulous administration enormous power,” according to Canada’s Calgary Herald. Senate Plans to Restore Military Pensions: Senate Democrats are planning to push this month for full repeal of a reduction in cost-of-living adjustments for military retirees under age 62, but the issue of how the cost of the change will be offset remains in question. The bill does not currently contain an offset but Sen. Sanders, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, told Congressional Quarterly, one possibility is cuts in overseas contingency operations funds for the Pentagon and other agencies. Continue reading here: sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/newswatch/011814
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 13:26:41 +0000
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