President George Bush has said that he will not sign a new wiretapping bill unless it grants retroactive immunity to the telecom companies that cooperated in the government's earlier eavesdropping programs without court orders.
The latest bill, proposed earlier this week, does not include immunity for telecoms.
Several House representatives have requested the FCC investigate U.S. carriers that allowed the National Security Agency (NSA) access to phone and Internet records of U.S. citizens without a court order. Earlier this week, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said he would not further question telecom companies about their participation in the NSA's "warrantless" wiretapping program because according to the Director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell, such an investigation would "pose an unnecessary risk" to national security.
There are reportedly about 40 suits pending, aimed at telecom companies for violating privacy and wiretapping laws.
The president, speaking from the south lawn as that measure was being discussed in two House committees, reportedly said the bill was unacceptable and that the new bill would "take us backward."
The president wants legislation that extends and strengthens the government's rights to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists without warrants, while the new bill, drafted by Democrats, would roll back some of the new powers granted to the government to listen in without warrants.