美国众议院通过外国情报监听法案

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The House of Representatives has approved legislation updating U.S. foreign intelligence surveillance law. President Bush welcomed the bipartisan compromise measure saying it will improve U.S. capabilities to prevent another terrorist attacks. But some Democratic lawmakers opposed the measure.

美国众议院批准美国修改的外国情报监听法案。布什总统赞扬这项两党妥协方案，说这将提高美国避免再次受到恐怖份子袭击的能力。不过一些民主党议员反对这项法案。

In crafting the latest revision of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), House and Senate lawmakers gave President Bush much of what he sought during months of tough negotiations.

美国参众两院议员在对1978年外国情报监听法认真修改时，增加了一些新的内容，这是布什总统在历时几个月艰苦磋商过程中试图得到的结果。

The president wanted telecommunications companies to have immunity from possible lawsuits stemming from any cooperation they provided for the counter-terrorist surveillance program he approved after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

布什希望电信公司免于受到的可能的法律诉讼，电信公司因为跟反恐监视计划合作可能会吃官司。这项反恐监视计划是美国2001年受到恐怖袭击之后，由布什总统批准的。

The program, which involves surveillance of terror suspects without a court warrant, triggered widespread protests and at least 40 lawsuits alleging violations of civil liberties. The program was publicly revealed in media reports in 2005.

反恐监视计划内容包括无须法庭批准监视恐怖嫌疑人，这项计划引发了广泛的反对，至少40件有关诉讼声称侵犯了公民自由权。2005年，媒体在报导中将这项计划曝光。

The new legislation, which passed the house by a vote of 293-129, does not grant blanket immunity to the phone companies, but does provide for court review of certifications from the U.S. attorney general that companies acted under presidential orders. A judge could then dismiss a lawsuit.

众议院以293票对129票通过的新法案没有授予电话公司完全的司法豁免权，但是却允许法庭审阅美国司法部长提供的证明书，证明电话公司的行为是奉总统的命令。法官可以拒绝受理对电话公司的诉讼。

Among key points of the new law, electronic eavesdropping without court approval would be permitted in what are designated as emergencies, allowing the government to submit justifications within one week.

经过修改的反恐监视法案重点内容包括，在被认定的紧急情况下，电子窃听无须法庭批准，允许政府在一星期之内提交电子窃听是正当行为的文件。

It requires court permission and establishment of probable cause for surveillance of Americans overseas, and prohibits a process in which the communications of a U.S. citizen could be monitored without court approval by targeting a foreigner.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said while the measure is not perfect, overall it helps keep Americans safe and does not violate American's constitutional rights.

众议院议长南希.佩洛西表示，尽管这项法案不够完善，但总体上看，它有助于维护美国的安全，也不会侵犯美国人的宪法权利。

"We must have a bill that does not violate the Constitution of the United States, and this bill does not," she said.

佩洛西说：“我们必须制定一项没有违犯美国宪法的法案，目前这个法案做到了这点。”

"The most important thing is that on a bipartisan basis we have come together on a national security issue to give our intelligence community the tools they need to keep America safe," said Republican Pete Hoekstra, a former Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

曾经担任众议院情报委员会主席、来自共和党的霍克斯特拉说：“最重要的就是以两党为基础，共商国家安全议题，以便让我们的情报部门得到维护国家安全所需的各种手段。”

But many Democrats voiced strong opposition, among them Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

不过，许多民主党议员对新修改的反恐监视法案表示强烈反对。众议员巴巴拉.李女士就是其中一员。

"It does not strike the proper balance between protecting national security and preserving our cherished civil liberties," she said.

巴巴拉.李说：“新法案没有恰当的处理好保护国家安全与维护我们珍惜的公民权利之间的关系。”

In advance of the House vote, President Bush said the legislation will help the U.S. intelligence community protect Americans.

众议院对修改的外国情报监视法表决之前，布什总统表示，这项立法将有助于美国情报部门保护美国人民。

"The enemy that attacked us on September 11 is determined to strike this country again," he said. "It is vital that our intelligence community has the ability to learn who the terrorists are talking to, what they are saying, and what they are planning."

布什总统说：“对我们发动9/11袭击的敌人一定会再次袭击我们。我们的情报部门如果有办法知道恐怖份子跟谁联系，说些什么，他们的计划是什么，这非常重要。”

The president urged the U.S. Senate to take up the intelligence legislation as quickly as possible.

布什敦促美国参议院尽快通过这项情报立法。

The American Civil Liberties Union described the measure as "disastrous", asserting that it allows for mass and untargeted surveillance of American's communications.

美国公民自由联盟把这项法案形容成是一场“灾难”，因为这项法案允许对美国人的通讯往来进行大规模和没有针对性的监视。