FEDERAL WIRETAPPING WITH NO WARRANTS!!! IT'S GONNA PASS!!

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate voted Tuesday to give immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the federal government eavesdrop on suspected terrorists after the September 11 attacks.


Lawmakers are debating an update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act this week.

An attempt to remove language granting retroactive immunity from the intelligence bill failed by a 31-67 vote.

A final vote is expected late Tuesday on legislation meant to update the 30-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, the law that regulates the intelligence community's surveillance practices.

Lawmakers are facing a tight deadline to complete voting on the bill. A temporary update to FISA expires at the end of the week.

The temporary bill allows the intelligence agencies to monitor foreign-to-foreign communications involving suspected terrorists without a warrant even if they come through telecommunication switches in the United States.

The bill being debated in the Senate would grant the intelligence agencies permanent authority to conduct foreign intelligence without a warrant.

The House already has passed a version of the bill, but it does not include retroactive immunity for the telecommunication companies.

The House version also gives the FISA court more oversight over the program.

Differences between the House and Senate legislation would have to be reconciled before a bill could be sent to the White House for the president's signature.

President Bush has threatened a veto if the bill does not include the immunity clause.