White House scrambles to defeat bill to defund NSA program

◼ The White House took the rare step of releasing a statement opposing an amendment to a House bill Tuesday night, taking aim at a measure that would shut down significant parts of the National Security Agency’s surveillance activities. - Susan Crabtree/Washington Examiner

In the statement, White House spokesman Jay Carney accused Republican lawmakers of trying to “hastily dismantle one of our Intelligence Community’s counterterrorism tools” and said the “blunt approach is not the product of an informed, open or deliberative process.”

The House is preparing to vote on an amendment, written by Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., that would cut off funds to the NSA if it collects data on individuals who are not under investigation — a move that would effectively shut down the sweeping Internet and phone data collection programs that have been revealed in news reports....

Amash took to Twitter to respond to the White House statement, calling on supporters to contact their members of Congress and express their strong support of the measure.

“Pres Obama opposes my #NSA amendment, but American people overwhelmingly support it,” he tweeted. “Will your Rep stand with the WH or the Constitution?”

...Amash has plenty of support for his view among Republicans, as well as liberal Democrats who have criticized the NSA programs sweeping reach.