FCC won't probe disclosure of phone records

FCC WON'T PROBE DISCLOSURE OF PHONE RECORDS
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Peter Kaplan]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin turned down a congressional request to investigate reports that phone companies turned over customer records to the National Security Agency, citing national security concerns. At issue are reports last year that some big telephone companies allowed the U.S. government access to millions of telephone records for an anti-terrorism program.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN0535834320071005

* House Telecom Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA)
"I am disappointed by the FCC’s response. I still hold that it is well within the authority of the independent agency responsible for the enforcement of our nation’s communications privacy laws to investigate the very serious reports that the intelligence agencies were using telephone companies to obtain phone records and Internet data on citizens without proper, prior authorization. I believe the agency could conduct its own examination of such reports in a way that safeguards national security. But the real roadblock here continues to be the Bush administration. The letter to the FCC from the Director of National Intelligence is unsurprising given that this administration has continually thwarted efforts by Congress to shed more light on the surveillance program."
http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3132&I...

* FCC rebuffs investigation of carriers in wiretap program
http://www.rcrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071008/FREE/71008009...