S. 877: A bill to provide for the non-discretionary Supreme Court review of certain civil actions relating to the legality and constitutionality of surveillance activities.

111th Congress · introduced 2009-04-23 · Law · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4680)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2009-04-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4680) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to provide for the non-discretionary Supreme Court review of certain civil actions relating to the legality and constitutionality of surveillance activities.

Plain summary

Requires review by the Supreme Court of appeals of interlocutory or final judgments, decrees, or court orders challenging the legality or constitutionality of: (1) the President's Surveillance Program (Terrorist Surveillance Program); (2) certain statutory defenses for the protection of persons assisting the federal government with information, or access to it, including communication contents, communications records, or other information relating to a customer or communication; and (3) any intelligence activity involving communications that was authorized by the President during a specified period. Requires the Supreme Court to advance on the docket any such appeal and expedite it to the greatest extent possible.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to provide for the non-discretionary Supreme Court review of certain civil actions relating to the legality and constitutionality of surveillance activities.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s877.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s877 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111