Washington, DC - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the failure of an amendment offered to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that would have authorized $300 million of federal funding for states to implement the Real ID driver's license program, which has been estimated by DHS to cost $23.1 billion. The ACLU deemed the proposal "sucker money" because it aimed to entice states to accept a paltry amount of funding for a flawed program that would ultimately cost millions more in state taxes and licensing fees.

Want to know why the new San Francisco municipal wireless contract needs to include privacy and free speech protections?

Read Make free wi-fi truly free, the opinion piece written by Kurt Opsahl, from EFF, and me, about the San Francisco wireless contract.

At yesterday's Budget Committee meeting, the San Supervisors delayed voting on the Earthlink/Google contract until July 25. Watch it here.

We were very pleased that Supervisor Peskin announced at the meeting that he is negotiating modifications to the contract, including the provisions related to privacy and free speech protections.

Wednesday San Francisco Board of Supervisors Hearing on Muni WiFi

WHEN: Wednesday, July 11, 2007

TIME: 1:00pm (approximate start time)

WHERE: City Hall, Board Chamber, room 250, Budget and Finance Committee

The SF Board of Supervisor's Budget Committee will hold a public hearing on Wednesday afternoon about the Earthlink/Google contract.

In a 2-1 decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals today dismissed a legal challenge to the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program. The challenge was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of prominent journalists, scholars, attorneys and national nonprofit organizations who say that the unchecked surveillance program is disrupting their ability to communicate effectively with sources and clients.

Thank you to everyone who contacted their Senators on the two Real ID amendments to the Immigration Bill.

Your efforts helped stop unworkable legislation that reduced every U.S. resident's due process, judicial review and privacy rights.

Click here for more information about the defeat of the Immigration Bill and next steps.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has taken action to finally get out the truth about the administration's domestic spying program. Senator Leahy has issued subpoenas to the White House and the office of Vice President Dick Cheney.

Check out the ACLU's Subpoena Watch webpage, with a checklist of what has been subpoenaed and up-to-date monitoring on what documents have been produced.