Your FISA update

From TPM:

HOUSE DEMS PASS FISA BILL
The pro-civil-liberties Democratic version of the surveillance bill just passed the House.
...
There are all sorts of things about this version that are better than the White House/Senate Dem version, not least of which is no telecom immunity.

Late Update: The final tally has been revised to 213-197.
--David Kurtz

At Daily Kos we read this: [You may click on "this" to read the whole article.]

FISA: The good guys win a big one
by mcjoan
Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 12:09:10 PM PDT

First off, Steny Hoyer, I apologize for anything I might have ever said about you in relation to the Blue Dogs and FISA. I was wrong. You were great today. Thank you. The shrewd planning of Pelosi and Reid really tied the Republicans in knots, taking away all of their tricks for derailing the bill through obnoxious and obstructionist procedural maneuvering. Chairs Conyers and Reyes were excellent in sheparding their committee members.

The good news? No telcomm immunity!

Almost immediate update:
In the debate thread post, mcjoan shares a statement by Rep. Leonard Boswell (IA-03), who had "signed onto [a] letter to Pelosi urging her to rubberstamp the bad Senate bill."

"So yes, I like 20 others, signed a letter of concern. By the way, it was not a Blue Dog letter, a Blue Dog position but individuals, some of whom were Blue Dogs. Over the course of past weeks, a crdit to Chairman Reyes and Chairman Conyers and our super staff, an acceptable solution has been found. It makes FISA — supports FISA and gives protection to those who assist within the provisions of the law. For example, those who feel their civil rights have been violated can seek justice and telecoms who feel they have complied with the law, a judge can review the classified evidence and decide. This means to me that the Constitution and civil rights are protected and telecoms who are asked under pressure to assist in an emergency can know that classified evidence will be seen by a judge... The bill provides telecom companies a way to present their defense in secure proceedings in a district court without the administration using state secrets to block the defense. A company simply doing its duty following the law, this bill ensures they they will not be punished and I urge everyone who signed the letter with me to support this resolution."

--the BB