[Infowarrior] - FISA: House going into closed session

[Richard Forno]

House to go into rare closed session

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0308/House_to_go_into_rare_closed_ses
sion.html

The House will go into a rare closed session Thursday night to debate a
controversial electronic surveillance measure.

It is the first closed session since 1983 and only the fifth in
congressional history.

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) plans to offer a motion on the issue
as soon as the House finishes work on the budget.

During the session, the chamber will discuss an update to the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act that has been gridlocked for months over the
issue of granting immunity to telecom companies who aided the government in
the wake of the Sept. 11.

Privately, House aides were speculating that the closed session will give
House Democratic leaders a chance to whip support for the measure, which is
not ensured of passage. A large bloc of moderate "blue dog" Democrats have
previously expressed their desire for the House to take up the Senate bill.

While House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) expressed confidence
earlier in the week that the bill would pass, however, a defection by the
"Blue Dogs" could threaten the passage of the bill, which would be a major
setback for House Democratic leaders who have worked furiously for weeks to
craft a compromise.

Following the closed session, the House will debate the FISA bill, which
does not include immunity. The Senate has already passed their own version
with immunity ‹ a bill President Bush has urged the House to sign.

 

On Thursday morning, Bush issued a statement saying he would veto the bill
if it ever reached its desk.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) agreed to the session Thursday
afternoon.

"Mr. Blunt stated that Members in the Minority believe they have information
relevant to the debate on FISA that cannot be publicly discussed," Hoyer
said. "The majority agreed to Mr. Blunt¹s request so that the Members may
hear this information in a secret session that will proceed for one hour."

A closed session would require at least three hours for security personnel
to sweep the chamber for listening devices.

"All of our members need to hear and have a chance to think about this
information," said Blunt

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) said he
was skeptical the closed session would change any minds on the issue and may
end up costing the Republicans support.

"As someone who has chaired classified hearings and reviewed classified
materials on this subject, I believe the more information Members receive
about this Administration's actions in the area of warrantless surveillance,
the more likely they are to reject the administration's scare tactics and
threats."