The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), born after the Watergate scandal, establishes how the government can secretly eavesdrop on Americans in their own country in intelligence investigations. It was originally passed to allow the government to collect foreign intelligence information involving communications with "agents of foreign powers."

This week the American Civil Liberties Union and its affiliates like the NYCLU expressed outrage at representatives who voted for the unconstitutional legislation. The bill, H.R. 6304, or The FISA Amendments Act of 2008, passed the chamber by a vote of 293-129, and is expected to be voted on in the Senate next week. In our first segment this week, Radio Civil Liberties correspondent, Mario Ezekiel brings us the update on the passage of the unconstitutional measure that has passed in the House of Representatives.Click here see how your representative voted

Click here for updates on the Bill's progress in the Senate

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This year’s ACLU Membership Conference was a rousing success. With more than 250 Captial Hill meetings and lobby visits scheduled , more than 1,000 ACLU members from every state and territory had an opportunity to meet with their respective congressional offices to lobby on some of the highest priority civil liberties and civil rights issues: FISA, E-verify, stopping torture and REAL-ID. Additionally, some very significant voices were head from at this years conference. In our second segment this week, we listen to their unique stories and struggles:


Adaora Udoji is co-host of The Takeaway with John Hockenberry, a new public radio program set to launch in the spring 2008. Previously, she was a host on Court TV, where she served as an anchor and trial correspondent. Udoji was a correspondent with ABC News and CNN, where she covered some of the most critical domestic and international stories of the past 15 years, including the last three presidential elections, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the O.J. Simpson criminal trial and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Janet Caldero, is a custodian for the New York City Board of Education. Caldero and several other custodians are part of an employee discrimination lawsuit. At stake is their seniority, their wages, benefits and ultimately, their jobs.

Evie Farnsworth, inspired by the suicide of her gay uncle to become engaged in LGBT issues in her Nashville, TN high school. She is a founding member of a student-led coalition to get the Metro Nashville School Board to expand the student non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity, expression, and appearance.

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This Weeks Music

PSA's from Marriage Equality First, the ACLU and the ACLU of Montana