On Capitol Hill, the Republican-controlled House has voted to extend a statute allowing warrantless government surveillance. With the FISA Amendments Act set to expire at the end of 2012, the House voted Wednesday to extend it for five years. Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York criticized the measure.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler: “While it is certainly appropriate for our government to gather foreign intelligence, and while some degree of secrecy is obviously necessary, it is also vital in a free society that we limit government, protect the constitutional rights of Americans here and abroad, and limit warrantless spying to genuine foreign intelligence. Unfortunately, we have seen repeatedly how even the very minimal restraints Congress put on FISA have been violated. We should address those abuses. Congress has an obligation to exert more control over spy agencies than simply to give them a blank check for another five years.”