President Obama meets with lawmakers as part of surveillance review

President Barack Obama met with critics and defenders of the National Security Agency's surveillance program ahead of a major speech in which he is to lay out his proposals for reforms.

Attendees at the hour long meeting included Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Patriot Act author Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.), who together wrote recent legislation to restrict the NSA's powers. Chairman Leahy said attendees pushed for the types of reforms recommended by the review group and found in the USA Freedom Act. According to Sen Leahy, attendees pushed President Obama on ending the NSA program that collects data on virtually all American phone calls, which has become one of the most controversial aspects of the surveillance debate. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), another supporter of restrictions, also attended the meeting, as did Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), one of the NSA's most prominent defenders. Sen Wyden said the meeting made it clear that Obama "and his administration are wrestling with the serious issues surrounding the disclosures of the last 6 months. What is also clear to me is that decisions about the future of these programs are being made now and that it is a crucial time for those who believe that security and liberty are not mutually exclusive to make their voices heard." White House press secretary Jay Carney just after the meeting said President Obama is "far along" in his review of outside recommendations. The White House has said President Obama will speak publicly about his review before the State of the Union address on Jan. 28.

Other attendees of the meeting Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Mark Udall (D-CO), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) as well as Reps. Mike Rogers (R-MI), John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Pete Visclosky (D-IN) and Adam Schiff (D-CA)