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Bush: Government Not Invading Americans' Privacy

By VOA News
11 May 2006

President Bush says the United States is doing everything within the law to protect Americans from the threat of terrorism.

In comments Thursday at the White House, the president did not directly address a newspaper report saying the U.S. government has been secretly amassing a database of phone calls made by tens of millions of Americans.

Mr. Bush said the privacy of citizens is being "fiercely" guarded in the government's efforts.  He also said the United States is not "mining or trolling" the personal lives of ordinary Americans, nor does it listen to domestic phone calls without court approval.  He also contended that what he termed "appropriate lawmakers" have been briefed on what the administration is doing.

The report in USA Today newspaper says the National Security Agency is using information from AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth to analyze calling patterns to detect terrorist activity.  The newspaper says the National Security Agency does not listen to or record the phone conversations.

Lawmakers today voiced concern about the alleged program, including Senator Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary committee.  Leahy expressed his contempt that lawmakers have to read the newspaper to find out what is happening.

USA Today notes that under Section 222 of the U.S. Communications Act, first passed in 1934, telephone companies are prohibited from giving out information regarding their customers' calling habits.

The newspaper reports that the three phone companies said they act in accordance with the law.  The NSA would not comment on the alleged program but said it also operates within the law.

President Bush Thursday noted that he has authorized a secret wiretapping program that allows officials, without warrants, to eavesdrop on phone calls and e-mail that cross U.S. borders and involve suspected terrorists.

Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concern about that program, which bypasses a special federal court whose approval is required for domestic eavesdropping operations.