NSA Spying/ Federal Budget

Missoulian:  Obama backs limits on NSA phone collections

Presidential Policy Directive -- Signals Intelligence Activities
“The collection of signals intelligence is necessary for the United States to advance its national security and foreign policy interests and to protect its citizens and the citizens of its allies and partners from harm. At the same time, signals intelligence activities and the possibility that such activities may be improperly disclosed to the public pose multiple risks. These include risks to: our relationships with other nations, including the cooperation we receive from other nations on law enforcement, counterterrorism, and other issues; our commercial, economic, and financial interests, including a potential loss of international trust in U.S. firms and the decreased willingness of other nations to participate in international data sharing, privacy, and regulatory regimes; the credibility of our commitment to an open, interoperable, and secure global Internet; and the protection of intelligence sources and methods.”

Missoulian: Lawmakers weary from fiscal wars send Obama budget
H.R.3547 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014
Senate amendment to H.R. 3547
“Reduces funds for the salaries, benefits, and expenses of any positions within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice that were assigned to administer or enforce Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. These jobs were rendered irrelevant after the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby v. Holder.”