ASHCROFT SEEKS SWEEPING POWERS

Police Measures Needed To Stop More Attacks, He Testifies

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 -- The United States will remain vulnerable to
terrorist attacks unless law enforcement agencies are given a wide
range of new counterterrorism tools, including improved wiretap
capabilities and easier access to voice mail and Internet users'
personal information, Attorney General John Ashcroft told lawmakers
Monday.

Ashcroft issued his warning in testifying before the House Judiciary
Committee in favor of far-reaching measures to ramp up the war on
terrorism, telling lawmakers, "Every day that passes with outdated
statutes and the old rules of engagement is a day that terrorists have
a competitive advantage."

Ashcroft urged quick passage of new police powers sought by the Bush
administration, including the authority to detain aliens suspected of
ties to terrorists indefinitely and without the right to appeal. The
administration also wants wiretap evidence obtained in other countries
in violation of the Fourth Amendment to be admissible in court.

In addition, the administration is asking for secret court
authorization for wiretaps, longer jail terms for terrorists, access
to users' Internet information without a court order and authority to
review telephone voice-mail messages with only a search warrant.

Some of the measures raised red flags for Democrats and advocates of
civil liberties. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the committee's
ranking Democrat, said he and others were "deeply troubled" by the
constitutional implications.

"Past experience has taught us that today's weapon against terrorism
may be tomorrow's law against law-abiding Americans," Conyers said.

Ashcroft said he was sure the bill would pass constitutional muster.
"We are conducting this effort with a total commitment to protect the
rights and privacy of all Americans and the constitutional protections
we hold dear," he said.

Coverage Of Hearing Restricted

After Ashcroft finished speaking, committee Democrats called civil
liberties and free-speech advocates to testify, including
representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union and People for
the American Way, which have echoed some of Conyers' concerns.

But while Ashcroft's testimony was open to television cameras, the
committee's Republican staff ordered camera crews to leave, including
those of C-SPAN, the public interest network available on cable
television systems nationwide, NBC News' Mike Viqueira reported.

Print reporters and members of the general public were allowed to
remain, meaning the speakers' comments could be reported, but none of
them would be available for Americans to see or hear for themselves.

House rules state, "Whenever a hearing or meeting conducted by a
committee or subcommittee is open to the public, those proceedings
shall be open to coverage by audio and visual means," Viqueira reported.

Congress Slows Debate

Both Democrats and Republicans said the issues were too important to
rush the legislation. The Judiciary Committee had planned to vote on
the legislation Tuesday, but Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis.,
said it would take up the bill late next week to give it time to work
out concerns like those Conyers raised.

Ashcroft urged speed, however.

"I cannot say to you if we had enacted these in August, we would have
curtailed the activities in September, nor can I assure this committee
that we won't have terrorist acts in the future," he said. "But the
mere fact that we can't do everything shouldn't keep us from doing
what we can do."

Domestic security is among the top issues that have leaped to the head
of a slimmed-down congressional agenda in the wake of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

"At the moment, nothing is going to get done except to try to deal
with the terrorist threat and try to be supportive of the
administration that's planning this big action," Sen. Byron Dorgan,
D-N.D., told reporters.

Senate Minority Whip Don Nickles, R-Okla., said other issues, among
them Medicare and Social Security reform and President Bush's plan to
channel more funds to religious charities, would have to wait.

"Those other things can be addressed in the future when we're not
fighting both a recession and war on terrorism," Nickles said.

Airports, Planes Focus Of Scrutiny

Security in airports and airplanes has emerged as the No. 1 concern,
at least in the short term. In what is sure to be a controversial
request, the nation's pilots union will ask Congress to pass
legislation to allow pilots to be armed in the cockpit, NBC News
reported Monday.

House leaders signaled over the weekend, meanwhile, that they would
enthusiastically go along with a proposal by Senate Commerce Committee
Chairman Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., to have the government take over
screening of passengers and luggage at the nation's airports.

Monday, the FAA said it was considering ordering airports and airlines
to redo criminal checks and scrutinize employment histories for
baggage handlers, food service workers and other employees who have
access to airliners, ramps, tarmacs and other secure areas.

The FAA has already begun training a corps of armed sky marshals to
fly on randomly chosen domestic flights, and it has ordered stronger
cockpit doors to keep hijackers from bursting in.

Closer Coordination

The security push comes as Americans learn about what is being
described as the nation's seriously inadequate lack of planning for
preventing or dealing with terrorist attacks.

About a third of 456 communities that responded to a fax last week
from the National League of Cities said they had no plans in place,
while about 1 in 8 was still developing a plan.

Just more than half said their terrorism response blueprints were in
place.

Larger cities appeared to be more prepared, with more than 8 in 10
towns of more than 100,000 people saying they had outlined how they
would handle a terrorist threat. Only 6 in 10 medium-sized cities and
4 in 10 small towns said they had such plans.

Some cities said they also were monitoring their water supplies more
closely and considering training in responses to biological and
chemical warfare.

Forty-eight agencies are now responsible for responding to terror
attacks in the United States, complicating efforts for a national
response. Seeking a more coordinated effort, Bush last week appointed
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge to a new Cabinet-level post of homeland
security czar, which White House spokesman Ari Fleischer characterized
as a role similar to that of national security adviser Condoleezza
Rice.