The Obama Administration has found an unlikely ally in Republican leaders as they join forces to oppose an amendment to a defense appropriations bill that would defund the National Security Agency's surveillance program that was revealed to the public by former contractor Edward Snowden, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., introduced the amendment that would require the government to inform citizens who are under investigation before they would be able to obtain their telephone records. In the documents leaked by Snowden it was revealed that the NSA obtains phone records from telecommunications companies thanks to a warrant obtained by a secret intelligence court, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Normally the White House stays silent on matters such as amendments to bills introduced in the House but White House press secretary Jay Carney released a statement saying that the amendment would "hastily dismantle one of our intelligence community's counterterrorism tools," according to Time.
"This blunt approach is not the product of an informed, open or deliberative process," Carney said. "We urge the House to reject the Amash amendment, and instead move forward with an approach that appropriately takes into account the need for a reasoned review of what tools can best secure the nation."
Some of Amash's Republican colleagues have voiced their disapproval of the amendment that would eliminate a program that has been credited with preventing multiple potential attacks. Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., joined other Republicans in writing a letter urging the defeat of the amendment, according to Time.
"While many members have legitimate questions about the NSA metadata program, including whether there are sufficient protections for Americans' civil liberties," Rogers said. "Eliminating this program altogether without careful deliberation would not reflect our duty, under Article I of the Constitution, to provide for the common defense."
Amash responded to the White House's statement on Twitter.
"Pres Obama opposes my #NSA amendment, but American people overwhelmingly support it. Will your Rep stand with the WH of the Constitution?"
In a closed-door meeting with Republican and Democrats held on Tuesday the head of the NSA Gen. Keith Alexander tried to convince lawmakers that defunding the NSA program was a bad idea.
"What you can see is that everybody wants to ensure we protect civil liberties and privacy and defend this country," Alexander told CNN. "We have that responsibility, and the issue is, how do we do that? How do we take care of our people and protect our civil liberties and privacy? This is a tough issue."
A vote is expected on Wednesday evening. In addition to the Amash amendment the House will also be voting on amendments that would prevent the U.S. from funding any military action in Egypt and a separate amendment that would prevent the U.S. from providing arms to Syrian rebels without congressional approval, according to Time.
