FACTBOX: Congress passes spy bill protecting telecoms

(Reuters) - A bill to provide liability protection to telecommunication companies and revamp U.S. surveillance laws won final congressional approval on Wednesday.

Here are some key points of the White House-backed measure, which has drawn bipartisan support in Congress and the ire of civil liberties groups.

* Telecommunication companies that participated in the warrantless domestic surveillance program secretly begun by President George W. Bush after the September 11 attacks could be shielded from billions of dollars in lawsuits -- if it can be shown that the White House assured them it was legal.

* Provides no immunity to any government official who may have violated the law.

* Authorizes U.S. intelligence agencies to eavesdrop, without court approval, on foreign targets believed to be outside the United States. Critics complain this allows warrantless surveillance of Americans who communicate with them. The bill contains protections to minimize such eavesdropping but foes say they are inadequate.

* Clarifies that to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance of a targeted person in the United States, the government must obtain a warrant from the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

* In an emergency, the government may authorize surveillance and apply for court approval within seven days.

* Requires U.S. court approval to target an American in a foreign land. Currently, a warrant is only needed when the American is in the United States.

(Sources: Congressional negotiators, civil liberties groups)

(Writing by Thomas Ferraro; Editing by David Alexander)