Q I have a question about the provision saying all the undertakings have to be governed by statute, where there is a statute. Is that a step back from previous assertions that -- that the authorization of use of military force gave a more broad authority to the President?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, I don't think so. The point that -- I don't believe so at all. I think the point that we're trying to make there is when there is a specific statute that governs a particular activity -- for example, the collection of certain business records or financial records or the conduct of electronic surveillance -- the Congress, as many of you know, has put in place various statutes, some of them quite elaborate, to govern the conduct of those activities. And the intelligence community, when engaged in such activities, has to fully comply with those statutes. I don't believe there's any change at all on that front.

seen at 09:00, 31 July in Whitehouse Press Briefings. Email this to a friend.
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