U.S. Senate Passes Spy Plan That Ends Phone Company Suits (Nicholas Johnston and James Rowley)

Created by : Francis Goodwin View profile

July 9 (Bloomberg) -- The Senate gave final congressional approval to legislation that overhauls U.S. electronic spying and ends lawsuits against telephone companies that aided government wiretapping of suspected terrorists.

Democratic Senator Barack Obama of Illinois interrupted his presidential campaign to return to Washington and vote for the measure, which was passed 69-28. His Republican opponent, Senator John McCain of Arizona, campaigned today in Pennsylvania and didn't vote.

The legislation would require President George W. Bush's terrorist surveillance program to be supervised by a secret court that has overseen foreign-intelligence gathering for 30 years. The measure, approved by the House last month, goes to Bush, who said he will sign it soon.

``This legislation is critical to American safety. It is long overdue,'' Bush said in the White House Rose Garden. ``Even in an election year, we can come together and get important pieces of legislation passed.''