FBI Fights New Curbs On Domestic Spying

The FBI is resisting legislation that would put more restrictions on domestic surveillance of Americans' private records, saying the agency already has tightened its rules to crack down on wrongful use of national security letters.

FBI General Counsel Valerie E. Caproni told a House panel that the agency has responded to abuses outlined in internal reports by tightening the requirements for issuing national security letters.

"In light of the FBI's tremendous progress in this regard, further legislative changes, including the measures envisioned by [Congress], would be neither necessary nor appropriate," Caproni testified to a Judiciary subcommittee.

Lawmakers in the House and Senate are pushing legislation that would limit the FBI's ability to secretly collect reams of information on the bank, telephone, credit card and Internet accounts of private Americans involved in terrorism investigations.