Democrats propose safeguards in Bush's spy program

By Thomas Ferraro and Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The rights of Americans swept up in President George W. Bush's warrantless domestic spying program would be given new safeguards under a bill introduced on Tuesday by Democratic lawmakers.

But civil liberties advocates complained that the measure, which would require secret-court approval of most spying, did not go far enough in protecting the rights of U.S. citizens.

Republicans warned it could help terrorists.

The White House had its own objections. It wants retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that cooperated in the warrantless surveillance begun after the September 11 attacks.

Democrats in the House of Representatives said they would not even consider immunity until they receive information detailing precisely what the firms did.

"To give immunity at this point in time would be a blind immunity -- not knowing what, in fact, was done," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat.

The bill was drafted in response to a temporary measure the White House pushed through the Democratic-led Congress in August along with warnings of possible additional attacks.

The measure would provide intensified oversight of the extended powers of federal authorities to track suspected foreign enemy targets without court approval.