Congress Torn on Telecom Immunity

Congress is conflicted over proposed immunity laws that would retroactively protect telecoms from suits alleging they illegally handed the government information on calls. The Senate Intelligence Committee endorsed immunity 13-2 last month, but the Judiciary Committee left the immunity section out of the document it approved yesterday. The House passed its version of the bill 227-189 last night without immunity.

Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy was in a minority that supported an amendment eliminating immunity from the bill. The committee,  which voted 10-9,  did not have a quorum, reports ZDNET, so it was unofficial. The full Senate will have to hash out a decision. Presidential candidate Chris Dodd has vowed to block any immunity bill from going to a vote, and President Bush has said he won’t approve a new bill without it.