The White House Defends The NSA Program To Collect Phone Records (Updated)

Obama Administration Defends Massive Phone Record Collection -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The Obama administration on Thursday defended its collection of the telephone records of millions of Americans as part of U.S. counterterrorism efforts, re-igniting a fierce debate over privacy even as it called the program critical to warding off an attack.

The admission came after Britain's Guardian newspaper published on Wednesday a secret court order authorizing the collection of phone records generated by millions of Verizon Communications customers.

Privacy advocates blasted the order as unconstitutional government surveillance and called for a review of the program amid renewed concerns about intelligence-gathering efforts launched after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

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More News On The White House And Other Lawmakers Supporting The NSA In Collecting Phone Records

Former NSA head defends agency reportedly spying on millions of Americans -- FOX News
NSA snooping has foiled multiple terror plots: Feinstein -- NBC
Obama administration defends NSA’s secret seizure of U.S. phone records -- Washington Times
Administration defends collecting phone records -- AP
Obama administration defends phone record collection -- Reuters
Obama administration defends NSA collection of Verizon phone records -- The Guardian
Obama administration defends phone record seizure, does not confirm Verizon report -- NBC
US defends phone record sweep as 'tool' against terror -- AFP
US Defends Secretly Collecting Phone Records -- Voice of America
White House defends NSA collection of Verizon phone records; insists no eavesdropping -- Washington Times
White House defends collection of Verizon telephone records -- McClatchy News
Administration, Lawmakers Defend NSA Program To Collect Phone Records -- Washington Post
Senate intelligence leaders say phone surveillance is 'lawful' -- CNN
Senators: NSA phone sweeping has been going on since 2007 -- The Hill
Sen. Jeff Flake: Other phone companies probably aid feds on snooping -- Washington Times
‘It’s Called Protecting America’: Senators Defend NSA On Phone Records -- TPM
Senate leaders say NSA data gathering is routine -- USA Today
Democrats criticize NSA phone tracking -- Politico
GOP Sen. Graham says he’s ‘glad’ NSA is collecting phone records -- Washington Times
Sen. Rand Paul slams government phone spying -- Washington Times
Fisa chief judge defends integrity of court over Verizon records collection -- The Guardian