Rep. Steny Hoyer is leading a “compromise” on the FISA reauthorization bill that would ultimately let the Bush administration and their friends at AT&T and Verizon off the hook for illegally spying on innocent Americans.

Last night, this so-called compromise was voted out of committee and as early as this morning the bill may be brought to the House floor for a full vote.

Speaker Pelosi can still stop this bill.

As Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi can pull the bill from the floor and refuse to call a vote.

Call Speaker Pelosi right now and demand she stand up to President Bush and stop telecom immunity.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
(202) 225-0100

Suggested Script:
“I’m calling to tell Speaker Pelosi I am depending on her to pull any bill from the floor that will ultimately grant immunity to telecommunications companies who illegally spied on Americans. Can I count on Speaker Pelosi to stand up to President Bush?”

Speaker Pelosi has stood up to the President’s fear mongering on illegal spying before, she can do it again. But she needs to hear from you to know where you stand.

Here is what Senator Russ Fiengold said about this bill last night:

“The proposed FISA deal is not a compromise; it is a capitulation. The House and Senate should not be taking up this bill, which effectively guarantees immunity for telecom companies alleged to have participated in the President’s illegal program, and which fails to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans at home.”

Senator Leahy also made his position clear:

“I will oppose this new FISA bill when the Senate votes on it next week. We must do everything we can to protect Americans from the Bush-Cheney Administration’s erosion of our civil liberties and callous disregard for the rule of law — and this new FISA bill fails that test.”

You and I remember that the Senate has passed retroactive immunity before. But working together, we can make sure that the Senate never has a chance to pass this bill by stopping it in the House today. Call Speaker Pelosi right now.

Thank you for taking action.

Charles Chamberlain, Political Director
Democracy for America

Though some members of Congress are guilty of selling the new bill’s telecom immunity provision as a “compromise,” there is still time to expose the telecom immunity proposal as a sham and to halt the bill before its too late, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Already, some Congressional leaders have expressed concerns, and other influential members have expressed resistance to the scheme.

Please join in and make your voice heard to all the members of Congress - no false compromises for lawbreaking telecoms!

For more, see no-false-compromises.