The single largest anti-Constitutional contribution to the Bush Regime by the PAA is its effective cancellation of legislative and judicial oversight on warrant-less wiretapping. When this bill was signed into law, the Constitution's separation-of-powers principle and balanced branches principle were completely ignored. The law is set to expire after 6 months. But, unsurprisingly, Bush just announced that he wants those powers to be permanent.

The Protect America Act is a warrant-less eavesdropping bill that expands the power of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). It was passed just before summer recess: by the Senate on August 3 (Roll Call 309), and by the House on August 4 (Roll Call 836). George Bush then signed the bill into law on Sunday, August 5.

The Protect America Act gives the federal government the authority to monitor American citizens' phone conversations and e-mails, providing they are corresponding with persons "reasonably believed to be located outside the United States." This bill, which was drafted mostly by the White House, was created in response to the 2005 scandal where President Bush was ridiculed for authorizing the National Security Agency to conduct a secret wiretapping program targeted at persons within the United States.

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