Contact

The FISA bill (S. 2248) mark-up is set for tomorrow morning in the Senate Judiciary Committee.   The business meeting is set for 10 am ET — am waiting to hear whether C-Span will be covering it, but I’ve put in a request.  Here’s hoping…

In the meantime, I thought we could spend the day constructively nudging on two very important issues:  (1) no telecom immunity and (2) no basket warrants.

The ACLU has a lot of information on FISA, including a section-by-section analysis of the bill and a one page summary sheet.  Useful stuff.   

We put together quite a list of ways to phrase opposition to the current FISA legislation’s most odious provisions — you can find the full compendium here.  (My personal favorite was Prairie Sunshine’s “Democracy = Rule of Law, not Lawless Rule.”)  Please call and FAX the offices of the Senate Judiciary Committee members regarding their obligation to uphold the rule of law, the Constitution, and the will of the people not just the rule of George.  Via OldCoastie, here is a link to efax, which allows you to FAX them for free.

Please share what you’ve put together for your FAX in the comments.  Remember the advice on writing pointed letters and letters to the editor:  keep it succinct, no more than two to three paragraphs max, and stick to a single topic — in this case, the FISA bill.  The more FAXes and phone calls we can get going today, on top of all the ones we have already made, the better. 

Ask yourself and the Senators:  do you trust President Bush or any other president with unfettered domestic spying power, without warrants, without oversight, without any check or balance — because once this precedent is set as approved by Congress, it will be impossible to roll it back.  And once Congress abrogates its authority, the members therein might as well stop drawing a paycheck of my tax dollars.  They need to know — very clearly — that we are not only paying attention to the details here, but that we care, deeply, about the rule of law and the constitution, and that fear is no excuse for undermining our commitment to liberty.

Now, let’s get to work…

The Senate Judiciary Committee membership and contact information is as follows:

You can also make calls via the Dodd Whip Count tool — Jane explained it here.  You can also reach Senators toll free thanks to these numbers that katymine found:

1 (800) 828 – 0498
1 (800) 614 – 2803
1 (866) 340 – 9281
1 (866) 338 – 1015
1 (877) 851 – 6437

(Photo via justin.hawthorn.)

Related posts:

1. HJC Schedules “Get Democrats to Cave on PATRIOT” Hearing
2. State Secrets Bill Passes House Judiciary, 18-12
3. Breaking: Senate Judiciary Approves Sotomayor Nomination – 13 to 6
4. PATRIOT Renewal Hearing, Day One Wrap Up: Who Protects Us from the Protectors?
5. Jack Bauer Not Surviving Contact With Reality