[xzins]

It is the Intelligence Committees of both the House and Senate that exercise primary oversight over the NSA. But as I noted last week, both Committees are, with the exception of a handful of members, notoriously beholden to the NSA and the intelligence community generally.

Its members typically receive much larger contributions from the defense and surveillance industries than non-Committee members. And the two Committee Chairs - Democrat Dianne Feinstein in the Senate and Republican Mike Rogers in the House - are two of the most steadfast NSA loyalists in Congress. The senior Democrat on the House Committee is ardent NSA defender Dutch Ruppersberger, whose district not only includes NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, but who is also himself the second-largest recipient of defense/intelligence industry cash.

[G Larry]

Well now.....let’s be a little mindful of the author and his established agenda here, ok?

[qaz123]

All of this and Snowden is still described as a traitor.

[Dr. Sivana]

Grayson actually found something useful to do.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” It is the Intelligence Committees of both the House and Senate that exercise primary oversight over the NSA. But as I noted last week, both Committees are, with the exception of a handful of members, notoriously beholden to the NSA and the intelligence community generally.

Its members typically receive much larger contributions from the defense and surveillance industries than non-Committee members.”

Follow the money.

[mbarker12474]

Every citizen should be able to make inquiry to the NSA and learn if the NSA holds metadata about himself.

Every citizen should be able to petition his Congressman, for that Congressman to make that inquiry.

I don’t know why 20 million of us have not already done so.

[CMB_polarization]

Follow the money, that is always how it works. Give the NSA the means to generate their own income and we’ll never be rid of them and their lackeys.

[DannyTN]

"He recounted his thinking to me: "How can I responsibly vote on a program I know very little about?"

That's easy. Vote not to fund.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

By scouring the emails of male prostitutes, the NSA can provide a list of clean ones for Graham to choose from.

No recent searches for STDs or local clinics? Send those names along to the senator.

[molson209]

the Coup d’état is done , Congress has been sent home don’t you know

[Timber Rattler]

I know Morgan Griffith and he’s a danged good man! Go VA-9!

[duffee]

At this point a Congressman should vote to defund any of these government programs that they aren’t compleatly filled in on and believe they have accurate information. Those in charge are not credible and have not been for a while if ever.

[LucyT]

Members of Congress have been repeatedly thwarted when attempting to learn basic information about the National Security Agency (NSA) and the secret FISA court which authorizes its activities, documents provided by two House members demonstrate.

From the beginning of the NSA controversy, the agency's defenders have insisted that Congress is aware of the disclosed programs and exercises robust supervision over them. "These programs are subject to congressional oversight and congressional reauthorization and congressional debate," President Obama said the day after the first story on NSA bulk collection of phone records was published in this space. "And if there are members of Congress who feel differently, then they should speak up."

[autumnraine]

Guys, I feel like we are watching a coup taking place in slow motion.

[null and void]

Senator, all the information you need about the NSA is in this file *THUMP*.

It’s your file.

Enjoy.

We did...