Democrats cave on wiretapping bill

By Dan Eggen
Washington Post

The Senate gave a strong boost today to legal protections for telephone companies that helped the government conduct a warrantless wiretap program, dramatically increasing the chances the legislation will survive a final vote next week.

In a lopsided 60-36 vote, the Senate rejected a proposal from the Senate Judiciary Committee that did not include immunity for the telecoms.

Instead, the Senate kept alive a competing proposal from the Senate intelligence committee that would offer legal protections to the companies and that has strong support from the White House.

The outcome increases the chance of an intra-party Democratic skirmish over the surveillance law, which would replace a stopgap measure passed last August that is due to expire in just eight days.

Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) has asked President Bush to agree to a one-month extension, but Bush said in a statement today that lawmakers must act quickly.

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