FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Amendments Act of 2008

Legislative provision introduced on June 19, 2008 by Intelligence Committee Chairman Representative Silvestre Reyes (Democrat - Texas Political Constituency) in the House of Representatives under the HR 6304 (House Resolution 6304) terminological appellate, the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 granted indefinite retroactive legal exemption to telecommunications agencies/ firms that actively participated in, then President Bush’s, warrantless wiretapping/ eavesdropping initiatives. The two most significant aspects relevant to the provision’s implementation are listed as follows:

1) Permits Federal Judiciary Representatives to grant the indefinite waiver of legal proceedings opposing the execution of unconstitutional mandate, thereby granting immunity to telecommunications agencies and their correspondent subsidiaries through Executive decree.

2) Grants government the authority to execute covert surveillance operations specifically designed to target individuals residing in foreign municipalities who communicate with United States citizens.

The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 exists as the realization of the Bush Administration’s Total Information Awareness (TIA) program, an initiative that under the Obama Administration has since been christened as the Terrorism Information Awareness proposition.

The above graphic elaborates on the structural composition of the Total Information Awareness Initiative, expanding on its multifaceted scope of influence with regard to the inclusion of various Federally subsidized intermediary agencies and firms.