US ponders bill to expand wiretapping powers

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The House of Representatives has delayed action on a Senate-passed bill to expand the government's abilities to eavesdrop without warrants on foreign suspects whose communications pass through the United States. Lawmakers in both parties said they expected the measure to pass late Saturday or early Sunday. The bill would update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA. It would give the government leeway to intercept, without warrants, communications between foreigners that are routed through equipment in United States, provided that "foreign intelligence information" is at stake.