The Department of Homeland Security is not implementing a plan to dramatically widen law enforcement agencies' access to spy satellite data as intended Monday after lawmakers raised privacy concerns and called for cuts to the agency's funding.
Despite the temporary roadblock from Congress, DHS officials say they still plan to pursue the program and are confident they can placate civil liberties concerns raised by Democratic lawmakers, the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire blog reports.
DHS planned Monday to launch the National Applications Office, which would coordinate access to spy satellite images for domestic non-military agencies, including law enforcement. Officials in the department are predicting "the new office will be open for business in the coming weeks," Robert Block reported at Washington Wire.
Source - Raw Story
