Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley is co-sponsoring a bill that would repeal the legal protections for telecommunications companies who helped the U.S. government with unauthorized post- 9-11 surveillance. April Baer reports.

Merkley's joined forces with Senate power-hitters Christopher Dodd, Patrick Leahy, and Russ Feingold in an attempt to undo the legal protections approved by the last Congress for telecommunications - or telco companies who complied with some Bush administration wiretapping requests.

Kevin Bankston, senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation says the bill rolling back immunity is critical, even if Congress decides to approve future surveillance projects.

Kevin Bankston: "Regardless of what the substantive law is on when and how the government and the telcos can spy on us, we need the courts to be able to interpret those laws."

Courts don't have the power to interpret the current immunity law. Instead, the Attorney General decides what is appropriate surveillance.

The bill may be in for a rough ride in the House, where Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has said he sees no value in revisiting the issue.