Obama Internet Kill Switch Plan Approved By US Senate

President could get power to turn off Internet

A US Senate committee has approved a wide-ranging cybersecurity bill that some critics have suggested would give the US president the authority to shut down parts of the Internet during a cyberattack.

Senator Joe Lieberman and other bill sponsors have refuted the charges that the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act gives the president an Internet “kill switch.” Instead, the bill puts limits on the powers the president already has to cause “the closing of any facility or stations for wire communication” in a time of war, as described in the Communications Act of 1934, they said in a breakdown of the bill published on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee website.

The committee unanimously approved an amended version of the legislation by voice vote Thursday, a committee spokeswoman said. The bill next moves to the Senate floor for a vote, which has not yet been scheduled…

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Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer Thinks He’s On A Mission From God To Protect Israel

U.S. Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer. Schumer thinks God appointed him to be the Jewish state of
Israel’s guardian in the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez, File)

Contrary to what many people may believe, that a U.S. Senator’s job is to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution and America, it seems New York’s Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer believes he has his Senate seat to protect the Jewish state of Israel. Schumer was a guest on a Jewish radio program in New York and said, “You know, my name …. comes from the word shomer, guardian, watcher. My ancestors were guardians of the ghetto wall in Chortkov. And I believe Hashem (God) actually gave me that name. One of my roles, very important in the United States senate, is to be a shomer — to be a or the shomer Yisrael. And I will continue to be that with every bone in my body … ” His role as guardian of Israel must have been given to him, in his mind, by God since there is not official Senate role with that title and job description. And most Americans would disagree with Chuck. At least 11 in St. Petersburg, Florida do. When asked if a U.S. Senator or Representative should be a guardian for Israel, all 11 people said no. If Chuck wants to be a guardian for Israel he should leave the UNITED STATES Senate and get elected to the Israeli Knesset…

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Senate Rejects Regular Audits Of Federal Reserve

The U.S. Senate voted unanimously to force the Federal Reserve to undergo an audit, for the first time, by Congress’ investigative arm. But the proposed legislation would only allow for a one-time examination by the Government Accountability Office that would focus on the Fed’s rescue of banks during the financial crisis of 2008…

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Cybersecurity Bill Introduced In Senate

(Reuters) – A new version of a cybersecurity bill was introduced in the Senate on Tuesday that may eliminate some opposition to the measure from the tech industry…

Senate Passes Short-Term Patriot Act Reauthorization

The Senate passed by voice vote Wednesday night legislation that would temporarily extend three Patriot Act provisions set to expire at the end of this month.

The bill would keep in place the Patriot Act’s “lone wolf,” business records and “roving wiretap” powers until Feb. 28, 2011. The House has yet to consider the measure.

Both the House and Senate had begun work on long-term renewals, but the bills contained major differences.

The Senate Patriot Act bill would reauthorize all of the authorities. The House version would renew the records and “roving wiretap” powers but not the “lone wolf” authority, which the government has never used. The bills also would include new oversight for the authorities…