Satellite-Surveillance Program Now to Be Used on U.S. Citizenry

In a move that may shock some and barely bother others, the United States Congress and President George W. Bush put a bill into law that will allow even further intrusions in personal privacy and the civil rights of every citizen of the nation. Post September 11, 2001 there have been a number of laws passed and policy decisions made that have effected the individual privacy that each U.S. citizen enjoyed; the satellite-surveillance program is one more law that stands to erode personal freedoms.

Earlier this week, when the nation's attention was riveted on the $700 billion bailout of private companies, Congress and our president were at work on another bill, one that has received little attention but may be as of vital importance as the bailout. The bill, which can be found in the Library of Congress, Public Law 110-329, was generally for the funding of the federal government until March 2009, but which also contained funding for a program by the Department of Homeland Security to include use of military surveillance satellites for use in America.

Despite an independent review, conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of the proposed satellite-surveillance program that sufficient safeguards were not in place to demonstrate the program would comply with privacy laws, the bill was passed by congress and signed into law by the president.

The satellite-surveillance program "is designed to provide federal, state and local officials with extensive access to spy-satellite imagery-but no eavesdropping-to assist with emergency response and other domestic-security need, such as identifying where ports or border areas are vulnerable to terrorism" (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122282336428992785.html).

This program was first proposed a year ago, when it received the backing of the president, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the surveillance program, citing concerns about individual privacy and civil liberties without adequate boundaries written into the program.

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (Mississippi), in response to the report by the GAO and other house Democrats had asked that money be frozen for the program and the issue tabled until after the November election so the next administration could examine it more closely. What happened instead is that the bill did pass, but only allows the satellite-surveillance program to be conducted in a limited version, focused on emergency response and scientific needs.

The concerns with this program are many, including the Fourth Amendment right to freedom from "unreasonable search and seizure," the separation of military and civilian law enforcement as has been followed since the 19^th century and its Posse Comitatus Act and the general concern for where will governmental intrusions into daily, personal life end? Some individuals are concerned that the satellite-surveillance program could be a "step toward establishing a national military police" (http://threatswatch.org/cms/refer.cgi/3831).

On a personal note, I am concerned because issues such as these can go unnoticed by the media and the citizenry alike. There are many issues that our lawmakers consider of which we are not aware, at least until it is too late to make our thoughts known on the issue. Now that the satellite-surveillance program has its foot in the door with even a limited launching, how much easier will it be for Homeland Security and/or lawmakers to extend the reach of the program to go far beyond domestic terrorism.

Those is power are well aware of the fear struck in the hearts of all when the word "terrorism" is invoked. It is part and parcel of why President Bush was elected to a second term. It is why as citizens we shrugged our shoulders when the Patriot Act came into law. Many people remained unconcerned when warrant-less wiretapping of individuals was requested and sanctioned by the federal government. But these are slippery slopes that we journey, and once freedoms are lost, it will be most difficult to get them back.