The Test of our Times: on Technology

George W. Bush: Oath of office authorizes use of surveillance technology

In time, it became clear that the President had authorized the NSA to exercise its authority without applying for the requisite warrants. The administration had argued that the FISA law could reasonably be interpreted to allow for these expanded powers because the nature of the threat ha changed, and there was a need to respond much more quickly than ordinary court procedures allowed. In carrying out its own legal interpretation and keeping it a secret, the long-term effect presented an appearance of employing unauthorized power.

Tom Ridge: Install biometric checks at 150 international airports

They would now have their fingerprints checked with new digital technology. In a matter of a few seconds, a photo of a print could be compared electronically to thousands of FBI or other files of known criminals or terrorists. I insisted that we call the program something positive--not Exit/Entry, but US-VISIT.