Wyden works to limit domestic spying

Senator Ron Wyden has once again used the power of a public Senate "hold" to force changes in a law steamrolling its way through Congress. This time, it's a Bush administration proposal to allow the Pentagon to spy on US citizens in this country.

The White House is considering expanding the power of a little-known Pentagon agency called the Counterintelligence Field Activity, or CIFA, which was created three years ago. The proposal, made by a presidential commission, would transform CIFA ... to one that also has authority to investigate crimes within the United States such as treason, foreign or terrorist sabotage or even economic espionage. ...

"We are deputizing the military to spy on law-abiding Americans in America. This is a huge leap without even a [congressional] hearing," Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a recent interview.

Wyden has since persuaded lawmakers to change the legislation, attached to the fiscal 2006 intelligence authorization bill, to address some of his concerns, but he still believes hearings should be held.

Read the rest of the Washington Post story. Discuss.