Stop, for God's Sake, Calling America a 'Homeland'

Cheney Calls for Permanent Warrantless Wiretapping Sen. Reid Requests 30-Day Extension of Protect America Act

By William Branigin Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, January 23, 2008; 2:01 PM

Vice President Cheney called on Congress today to permanently extend the Protect America Act as the White House launched a drive to secure the tools it says are needed to fight a continuing terrorist threat beyond the law's Feb. 1 expiration.

In a speech to a sympathetic audience at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington-based think tank, Cheney also said the law must include immunity from lawsuits for telecommunications companies that assisted the U.S. government's electronic surveillance efforts after Sept. 11, 2001.

. . . Reid's letter added: "Congress is working on a bipartisan basis to provide our intelligence professionals with the tools they need to combat terrorism, while protecting the privacy of law abiding Americans. The legislative process on this critical issue should nei…