Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008 - Legislative History

Legislative History

  • 2008-06-20: Passed the U.S. House of Representatives, by a 293 to 129 vote.
  • 2008-06-26: A Senate vote was delayed by a filibuster spearheaded by Senators Russ Feingold and Chris Dodd. Feingold said the bill threatened civil liberties in the United States; Dodd has said granting retroactive immunity would undermine the rule of law.
  • 2008-07-09: Dodd's amendment calling for a striking of Title II (the immunity provisions) was rejected 66 to 32. The bill itself was then put to a vote and passed 69 to 28.
  • 2008-07-10: President George W. Bush signed the bill into law.
  • 2012-09-12: The House of Representatives voted, 301 to 118, to extend the FISA Amendments Act for five years, after the act was to expire at the end of 2012.
  • 2012-12-29: By a vote of 73 to 23, the U.S. Senate voted to extend the FISA Amendments Act for five years until December 31, 2017.

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