S 2011 · 110th Congress 2007–2009, ended

A bill entitled "The Protect America Act of 2007".

Fact sheet

Latest action · Sep 25, 2007 Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedAug 3, 2007
  2. Passed SenateNot reached
  3. Passed HouseNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Protect America Act of 2007 - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to provide that a court order is not required for the electronic surveillance of communication between persons who are not located within the United States for collecting foreign intelligence information, without respect to whether the communication passes through the United States or the surveillance device is located within the United States.

Authorizes the Attorney General (AG) to apply to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Court) for an order, or the extension of an order, authorizing for up to one year the electronic surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes of persons outside the United States.

Allows the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the AG to authorize the immediate electronic surveillance (without prior Court order) of persons reasonably believed to be outside the United States if: (1) the DNI and AG determine that it is in the U.S. national security interest to begin such surveillance; and (2) the AG submits to the Court, within five days after the commencement of the surveillance, a certification of and application for such surveillance.

Authorizes the AG, with respect to an authorized surveillance, to issue a directive to a communications service provider, custodian, or other person to: (1) furnish all appropriate information, facilities, and assistance necessary to accomplish the surveillance; and (2) maintain under security procedures any surveillance records.

Directs the Inspector General to report to the congressional intelligence and judiciary committees on surveillance conducted during the previous four-month period.

Recorded votes 1

Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.

Roll callQuestionResultDate
Senate 310Bill Defeated43–45Aug 3, 2007

Cosponsors 1

Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on Aug 3, 2007.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-WVJohn D. Rockefeller IVOriginalAug 3, 2007

Actions 8

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Sep 25, 2007Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held.
  2. Aug 3, 2007Failed of passage in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 43 - 45. Record Vote Number: 310.
  3. Aug 3, 2007Failed of passage/not agreed to in Senate: Failed of passage in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 43 - 45. Record Vote Number: 310.
  4. Aug 3, 2007Introduced in Senate
  5. Aug 3, 2007Introduced in the Senate, read twice.

Related bills 2

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
S 1927Protect America Act of 2007Related billSep 25, 2007
HR 3356Improving Foreign Intelligence Surveillance to Defend the Nation and the Constitution Act of 2007Related billAug 3, 2007

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Aug 3, 2007Placed on Calendar Senate

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.