Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today commented on reports that President Bush said he is willing to negotiate on the domestic surveillance program.

The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

"After months of fear-mongering, the administration’s ‘Chicken Little’ tactics have had little effect. The House bill passed before recess was a vast improvement over the Senate’s version, and members shouldn’t be too quick to undo all of their hard work.

"A bill with real judicial review and no telecom immunity should be the floor, not the ceiling. By signaling that he and his administration are open to coming back to the table, after all of this time and rhetoric, the president has unwittingly revealed the power of the legislative branch. Congress should take note and stand firm.

"There is absolutely no compelling reason – real or invented – to give the president wider spying powers now. In spite of the dire warnings and political threats, Congress has emerged from this battle once again as a co-equal branch of government. The sky hasn’t fallen but it looks like the will of the administration may be crumbling just a bit."

To learn more about the ACLU’s work on FISA, go to:
www.aclu.org/fisa