The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to pass the FISA Amendments Act, a bill that would offer legal immunity to telecommunication companies that participated in the government warrantless eavesdropping program after 9/11. The vote came shortly before expiration of the temporary Protect America Act on February 15.

Congress has been debating for some time now new surveillance legislation to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, while the Bush Administration has threatened to veto any bill not containing full liability protection for telecommunication companies. The version of the bill before the House of Representatives still does not allow for such immunity.

The Senate also voted Tuesday to give more authority to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court over government surveillance of Americans and to require a court order for surveillance of Americans who are located overseas.

Source: http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/02/us-senate-passes-surveillance-bill-with.php