The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:
Earlier this week the House passed the so-called USA Freedom Act under the guise of reforming the NSA to prevent surveillance of innocent Americans. As I said on the House floor in opposition to the bill, it does no such thing.
The bill still allows the government to collect everything they want against Americans – to treat Americans as suspects first and citizens second. It still allows decisions about whom to target, and how aggressively to go after acquaintances of acquaintances of targets, to be made by mid-level employees, not federal judges.
Most important, the fundamental decisions under this will be made by a weak, inferior standard that does not reach the constitutionally required standard of probable cause, so that the government can spy on people based on weak suspicions.
In voting for the bill, some of my colleagues said, “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” The perfect? How could any member of Congress vote for legislation that doesn’t uphold the constitutional standard of probable cause?
School Lunches After School Lets Out
About 480,000 New Jersey students from low and moderate-income families are eligible for free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunch at their schools. But as schools let out for the summer, many families will lose access to this key source of nutritional and financial support.
Fortunately, federally funded summer meal programs can help provide healthy meals to students throughout the year. In 2010 I helped write the law that increased funding for Summer Food Support grants, which help establish or grow summer meal programs. For a list of sites near you, visit nokidhungry.org/summersites or text “FOOD” to 877-877.
Left Behind
“Take the current expansion, which began in the second half of 2009. Gross domestic product is up 11 percent since then, corporate profits are up about 50 percent, and equity markets are up 80 percent. But both median and low incomes are down about 5 percent.” – Jared Bernstein, former chief economist to Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Sincerely,
Rush Holt
Member of Congress
Showing posts with label NSA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NSA. Show all posts
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Back Doors
The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:
Last week The New York Times and The Guardian reported that the National Security Agency has weakened or broken the online encryption relied upon by hundreds of millions of Americans to protect their private data.
According to these reports, the NSA has covertly weakened the computer security protocols that American citizens and businesses rely on. The NSA has surreptitiously obtained the encryption keys used by major corporations to protect online data. And the NSA has demanded that manufacturers insert “back doors” into computer systems to enable secret government eavesdropping.
It’s as though the NSA had secretly copied the keys to your home. Worse, it’s as though the NSA had prohibited manufacturers from even making secure locks – all while assuring the public that of course their belongings were safe.
Although the NSA’s goal may have been to allow the U.S. government to spy on communications, by introducing vulnerabilities into widely used computer hardware and software, the NSA would be rendering all communications vulnerable to criminals and foreign intelligence agencies. Anyone can walk through an open door if they can find it.
Earlier this year I introduced legislation, the Surveillance State Repeal Act, that would make it illegal for the NSA to coerce developers to include “back doors” in computer hardware or entry points in software. These revelations give that proposal new urgency.
Next Steps Forward in Syria
President Obama’s speech to the nation this week about the situation in Syria was both timely and necessary. I welcome his call for a delay in Congressional consideration of an authorization for the use of military force.
I am pleased that the President has dispatched Secretary of State Kerry to meet with his Russian counterpart in Europe to explore whether the proposal to verifiably disarm Syria of its chemical weapons can be successfully implemented. As we learned after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the best way to ensure a rogue nation is reliably disarmed of its weapons of mass destruction is through intrusive, internationally supervised on-site inspections.
If the proposal works, it would be the best way to eliminate safely Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons arsenal without risking either American or Syrian lives in a military campaign.
Deadline to Register for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
It has been twelve years since that terrible day when nearly 3,000 of our fellow citizens perished in an unprovoked series of attacks on our nation. And while the key perpetrators of that horror are now themselves either dead or in our custody, the pain and the heroism of Americans on that day is something we must never forget.
In 2009, I helped pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act establishing a fund to to compensate for physical harm or death caused by the attacks of September 11, 2001. Potential claimants include first responders; cleanup workers; construction and sanitation personnel; and individuals who lived, worked, or volunteered in the areas of the crashes at the World Trade Center site, the Pentagon site, and the Shanksville, Pennsylvania site.
If you believe you may be eligible for compensation, it is important to register by the October 3, 2013 deadline. Registration is very easy and requires answering only a few questions. The website VCF.gov includes detailed information on the registration deadline and a link to register online, or you can call toll-free 1-855-885-1555.
Sincerely,
Rush Holt
Member of Congress
Last week The New York Times and The Guardian reported that the National Security Agency has weakened or broken the online encryption relied upon by hundreds of millions of Americans to protect their private data.
 |
| Congressman Rush Holt |
It’s as though the NSA had secretly copied the keys to your home. Worse, it’s as though the NSA had prohibited manufacturers from even making secure locks – all while assuring the public that of course their belongings were safe.
Although the NSA’s goal may have been to allow the U.S. government to spy on communications, by introducing vulnerabilities into widely used computer hardware and software, the NSA would be rendering all communications vulnerable to criminals and foreign intelligence agencies. Anyone can walk through an open door if they can find it.
Earlier this year I introduced legislation, the Surveillance State Repeal Act, that would make it illegal for the NSA to coerce developers to include “back doors” in computer hardware or entry points in software. These revelations give that proposal new urgency.
Next Steps Forward in Syria
President Obama’s speech to the nation this week about the situation in Syria was both timely and necessary. I welcome his call for a delay in Congressional consideration of an authorization for the use of military force.
I am pleased that the President has dispatched Secretary of State Kerry to meet with his Russian counterpart in Europe to explore whether the proposal to verifiably disarm Syria of its chemical weapons can be successfully implemented. As we learned after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the best way to ensure a rogue nation is reliably disarmed of its weapons of mass destruction is through intrusive, internationally supervised on-site inspections.
If the proposal works, it would be the best way to eliminate safely Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons arsenal without risking either American or Syrian lives in a military campaign.
Deadline to Register for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
It has been twelve years since that terrible day when nearly 3,000 of our fellow citizens perished in an unprovoked series of attacks on our nation. And while the key perpetrators of that horror are now themselves either dead or in our custody, the pain and the heroism of Americans on that day is something we must never forget.
In 2009, I helped pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act establishing a fund to to compensate for physical harm or death caused by the attacks of September 11, 2001. Potential claimants include first responders; cleanup workers; construction and sanitation personnel; and individuals who lived, worked, or volunteered in the areas of the crashes at the World Trade Center site, the Pentagon site, and the Shanksville, Pennsylvania site.
If you believe you may be eligible for compensation, it is important to register by the October 3, 2013 deadline. Registration is very easy and requires answering only a few questions. The website VCF.gov includes detailed information on the registration deadline and a link to register online, or you can call toll-free 1-855-885-1555.
Sincerely,
Rush Holt
Member of Congress
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Christie's Grand Standing
by Josh Levitt
Buono For Governor
Yesterday Governor Christie participated in a panel discussion with right-wing Governors called "“Republican Governors on What’s Working at the State Level.” But, instead of talking about New Jersey's struggling economy or the 400,000 New Jerseyans out of work, Governor Christie focused on his favorite topic: his inevitable 2016 presidential run. In a move designed solely to appeal to national Republicans, Governor Christie attacked one of his likely 2016 opponents for his foreign policy views. At this point, Gov. Christie is just itching to leave New Jersey in the dust to satisfy his political ambition.
Christie Cites 9/11 in Assailing Libertarian Trend in GOP
By Jonathan Martin//New York Times
Invoking the families of 9/11 victims, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey on Thursdayheatedly denounced the growing libertarian drift on national security in the Republican Party that is favored by Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, and others in the party. “This strain of libertarianism that’s going through parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought,” Mr. Christie said on a panel with other Republican governors here. Asked if he was alluding to Mr. Paul, a potential Republican presidential rival, Mr. Christie spoke in deeply personal terms about the impact of the 2001 terrorist attacks on his state. “You can name any number of people and he’s one of them,” Mr. Christie shot back before referring to the more than 600 New Jersey families who lost relatives in the attacks. “These esoteric, intellectual debates — I want them to come to New Jersey and sit across from the widows and the orphans and have that conversation. And they won’t, because that’s a much tougher conversation to have.”
Christie goes after libertarians — hard
By Aaron Blake//Washington Post
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Thursday offered a clear broadside against Republicans drifting toward a more libertarian view of foreign policy, lumping Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in with them and suggesting they explain their position to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The House earlier this week narrowly voted against a reduction in funding for the National Security Agency, as libertarian-leaning members from both sides joined together to vote for the amendment. “As a former prosecutor who was appointed by President George W. Bush on Sept. 10, 2001, I just want us to be really cautious, because this strain of libertarianism that’s going through both parties right now and making big headlines, I think, is a very dangerous thought,” Christie said. Asked whether he includes Paul — a fellow potential 2016 presidential candidate — in his criticism, Christie didn’t back down. “You can name any one of them that’s engaged in this,” he said. “I want them to come to New Jersey and sit across from the widows and the orphans and have that conversation. … I’m very nervous about the direction this is moving in.”
Christie: NSA critics should talk to 9/11 families
CNN
Opponents of government spying programs should talk to families who lost loved ones in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said at a Republican governors forum Thursday. Asked about the influence of libertarian-minded leaders in the GOP - including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky - Christie said that when it comes to national security, those who oppose National Security Agency programs that monitor Americans' electronic activity were just wrong. "These esoteric, intellectual debates - I want them to come to New Jersey and sit across from the widows and orphans and have that conversation," Christie said. "And they won't. That's a lot tougher conversation to have." Christie was appearing on a panel of governors that also included Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Mike Pence of Indiana and Scott Walker of Wisconsin. All four are considered potential candidates for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, though the topic did not arise on Thursday.
Christie: Rand Paul 'dangerous'
By Hadas Gold//Politico
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is ripping libertarians - including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). - for challenging government surveillance programs and failing to understand the dangers of terrorism. “This strain of libertarianism that’s going through parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought,” the New Jersey governor said on Thursday at a Republican governors forum in Aspen, Colo. “You can name any number of people and (Paul is) one of them.”
Christie vs. Paul: The fight for the future of GOP foreign policy
By Aaron Blake//Washington Post
Shortly after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took to the stage with three fellow Republican governors here Thursday, he derided self-serving politicians who try to be all things to all people and are afraid to alienate anyone. By the end of the session, hosted by the nonpartisan Aspen Institute, Christie put his potential 2016 presidential hopes where his mouth is. And in the process, he set himself apart from — and risked alienating — a very significant and growing swath of the Republican Party led by Sen. Rand Paul: libertarians.
Libertarianism and the coming Republican political war
By Chris Cizzilla//Washington Post
...2. Chris Christie: The New Jersey governor’s condemnation of the creeping libertarianism within the GOP proves two things: 1) He’s running for president and 2) He will do so as a defense-defending hawk in the mold of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. The question for Christie is whether he is another incarnation of Rudy Giuliani (tough talking hawk whose moderate credentials doomed him) or a whole new — and more successful — model for GOP candidate. Time will tell — but he’s definitely running. (Previous ranking: 2)
Gov. Christie Joins Anti-Rand Paul Club
By Abby Phillip//ABC News
The anti-Rand Paul club gained a new member: New Jersey’s Republican Gov. Chris Christie. Christie ripped into the Kentucky senator and his cohorts for promoting a “dangerous” libertarian philosophy on national security issues in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. “I just want us to be really cautious because this strain of libertarianism going through both parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought,” Christie said at an Aspen Institute panel of Republican governors in Colorado Thursday night. Asked specifically whether he was referring to Paul, Christie said, “You can name any number of people and he’s one of them.”
Rand Paul to Chris Christie: You need to talk to more real Americans
By Ralph Z. Hallow//Washington Times
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, leading the opposition to drone killing of U.S. citizens and to massive government surveillance of U.S. citizens email and phone records, fired back at fellow Republican Christie Christie, the New Jersey governor, who had attacked the Kentucky Republican for opposing massive government surveillance of U.S. citizens. “If Governor Christie believes the constitutional rights and the privacy of all Americans is ‘esoteric,’ he either needs a new dictionary, or he needs to talk to more Americans, because a great number of them are concerned about the dramatic overreach of our government in recent years,” Paul senior adviser Doug Stafford told The Washington Times. Mr. Christie had told fellow GOP governors in Aspen, Colo., on Thursday that Mr. Paul is part of a “strain of libertarianism that’s going through parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought.”
Buono For Governor
Yesterday Governor Christie participated in a panel discussion with right-wing Governors called "“Republican Governors on What’s Working at the State Level.” But, instead of talking about New Jersey's struggling economy or the 400,000 New Jerseyans out of work, Governor Christie focused on his favorite topic: his inevitable 2016 presidential run. In a move designed solely to appeal to national Republicans, Governor Christie attacked one of his likely 2016 opponents for his foreign policy views. At this point, Gov. Christie is just itching to leave New Jersey in the dust to satisfy his political ambition.
Christie Cites 9/11 in Assailing Libertarian Trend in GOP
By Jonathan Martin//New York Times
Invoking the families of 9/11 victims, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey on Thursdayheatedly denounced the growing libertarian drift on national security in the Republican Party that is favored by Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, and others in the party. “This strain of libertarianism that’s going through parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought,” Mr. Christie said on a panel with other Republican governors here. Asked if he was alluding to Mr. Paul, a potential Republican presidential rival, Mr. Christie spoke in deeply personal terms about the impact of the 2001 terrorist attacks on his state. “You can name any number of people and he’s one of them,” Mr. Christie shot back before referring to the more than 600 New Jersey families who lost relatives in the attacks. “These esoteric, intellectual debates — I want them to come to New Jersey and sit across from the widows and the orphans and have that conversation. And they won’t, because that’s a much tougher conversation to have.”
Christie goes after libertarians — hard
By Aaron Blake//Washington Post
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Thursday offered a clear broadside against Republicans drifting toward a more libertarian view of foreign policy, lumping Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in with them and suggesting they explain their position to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The House earlier this week narrowly voted against a reduction in funding for the National Security Agency, as libertarian-leaning members from both sides joined together to vote for the amendment. “As a former prosecutor who was appointed by President George W. Bush on Sept. 10, 2001, I just want us to be really cautious, because this strain of libertarianism that’s going through both parties right now and making big headlines, I think, is a very dangerous thought,” Christie said. Asked whether he includes Paul — a fellow potential 2016 presidential candidate — in his criticism, Christie didn’t back down. “You can name any one of them that’s engaged in this,” he said. “I want them to come to New Jersey and sit across from the widows and the orphans and have that conversation. … I’m very nervous about the direction this is moving in.”
Christie: NSA critics should talk to 9/11 families
CNN
Opponents of government spying programs should talk to families who lost loved ones in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said at a Republican governors forum Thursday. Asked about the influence of libertarian-minded leaders in the GOP - including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky - Christie said that when it comes to national security, those who oppose National Security Agency programs that monitor Americans' electronic activity were just wrong. "These esoteric, intellectual debates - I want them to come to New Jersey and sit across from the widows and orphans and have that conversation," Christie said. "And they won't. That's a lot tougher conversation to have." Christie was appearing on a panel of governors that also included Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Mike Pence of Indiana and Scott Walker of Wisconsin. All four are considered potential candidates for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, though the topic did not arise on Thursday.
Christie: Rand Paul 'dangerous'
By Hadas Gold//Politico
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is ripping libertarians - including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). - for challenging government surveillance programs and failing to understand the dangers of terrorism. “This strain of libertarianism that’s going through parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought,” the New Jersey governor said on Thursday at a Republican governors forum in Aspen, Colo. “You can name any number of people and (Paul is) one of them.”
Christie vs. Paul: The fight for the future of GOP foreign policy
By Aaron Blake//Washington Post
Shortly after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took to the stage with three fellow Republican governors here Thursday, he derided self-serving politicians who try to be all things to all people and are afraid to alienate anyone. By the end of the session, hosted by the nonpartisan Aspen Institute, Christie put his potential 2016 presidential hopes where his mouth is. And in the process, he set himself apart from — and risked alienating — a very significant and growing swath of the Republican Party led by Sen. Rand Paul: libertarians.
Libertarianism and the coming Republican political war
By Chris Cizzilla//Washington Post
...2. Chris Christie: The New Jersey governor’s condemnation of the creeping libertarianism within the GOP proves two things: 1) He’s running for president and 2) He will do so as a defense-defending hawk in the mold of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. The question for Christie is whether he is another incarnation of Rudy Giuliani (tough talking hawk whose moderate credentials doomed him) or a whole new — and more successful — model for GOP candidate. Time will tell — but he’s definitely running. (Previous ranking: 2)
Gov. Christie Joins Anti-Rand Paul Club
By Abby Phillip//ABC News
The anti-Rand Paul club gained a new member: New Jersey’s Republican Gov. Chris Christie. Christie ripped into the Kentucky senator and his cohorts for promoting a “dangerous” libertarian philosophy on national security issues in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. “I just want us to be really cautious because this strain of libertarianism going through both parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought,” Christie said at an Aspen Institute panel of Republican governors in Colorado Thursday night. Asked specifically whether he was referring to Paul, Christie said, “You can name any number of people and he’s one of them.”
Rand Paul to Chris Christie: You need to talk to more real Americans
By Ralph Z. Hallow//Washington Times
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, leading the opposition to drone killing of U.S. citizens and to massive government surveillance of U.S. citizens email and phone records, fired back at fellow Republican Christie Christie, the New Jersey governor, who had attacked the Kentucky Republican for opposing massive government surveillance of U.S. citizens. “If Governor Christie believes the constitutional rights and the privacy of all Americans is ‘esoteric,’ he either needs a new dictionary, or he needs to talk to more Americans, because a great number of them are concerned about the dramatic overreach of our government in recent years,” Paul senior adviser Doug Stafford told The Washington Times. Mr. Christie had told fellow GOP governors in Aspen, Colo., on Thursday that Mr. Paul is part of a “strain of libertarianism that’s going through parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought.”
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Cheney Has Moles in Obama Administration, Reporter Says
Former Vice President Dick Cheney has moles in the Obama government which report back to him from the Pentagon, investigative reporter Seymour Hersh told NPR and MSNBC on Tuesday.
Speaking with NPR's Terri Gross, Hersh revealed that the former Vice President -- who he characterized as "really smart" -- has individuals that report back to him from key positions in government. He called these individuals "stay-behinds," an intelligence term generally applied to insiders left behind in foreign governments after the occupying power is driven out.
"He’s put people back," Hersh said. "They call it a stay-behind. It’s sort of an intelligence term of art. When you leave a country and, you know, you’ve driven out, you know, you’ve lost the war. You leave people behind. It’s a stay-behind that you can continue to contacts with, to do sabotage, whatever you want to do.
"Cheney’s left a stay behind," Hersh continued. "He’s got people in a lot of agencies that still tell him what’s going on. Particularly in defense, obviously. Also in the NSA, there’s still people that talk to him. He still knows what’s going on. Can he still control policy up to a point? Probably up to a point, a minor point. But he’s still there. He’s still a presence."
Speaking with NPR's Terri Gross, Hersh revealed that the former Vice President -- who he characterized as "really smart" -- has individuals that report back to him from key positions in government. He called these individuals "stay-behinds," an intelligence term generally applied to insiders left behind in foreign governments after the occupying power is driven out.
"He’s put people back," Hersh said. "They call it a stay-behind. It’s sort of an intelligence term of art. When you leave a country and, you know, you’ve driven out, you know, you’ve lost the war. You leave people behind. It’s a stay-behind that you can continue to contacts with, to do sabotage, whatever you want to do.
"Cheney’s left a stay behind," Hersh continued. "He’s got people in a lot of agencies that still tell him what’s going on. Particularly in defense, obviously. Also in the NSA, there’s still people that talk to him. He still knows what’s going on. Can he still control policy up to a point? Probably up to a point, a minor point. But he’s still there. He’s still a presence."
Click >>>HERE to finsh reading this breaking story and to hear an audio clip explaining Cheney's actions
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
NSA Whistleblower- Bush Administration Spying on Journalists- Recording "Everything"
From last nights Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Russel Tice former analysist for the National Sercurity Administration (NSA)says that the Bush administration was spying on and targeting journalists and had access to all Americans phone calls, emails and computer communications.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)