This is the Cato Daily Podcast for Tuesday, December 24th, 2013.

I'm Caleb Brown.

The influential members of the government's intelligence apparatus and their supporters are what

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden calls the business as usual brigade.

And confusing the debate over surveillance is part of their primary mission.

Wyden spoke at the Cato Institute's conference on NSA surveillance in October.

In my view, a good way to measure the credibility of scholars and sinkers in Washington is by watching to see whether they can

stay true to their views regardless of the impact their views have on partisan politics.

That's why Cato scholars like Jim and Julian Sanchez

are the go-to leaders. The people we look to for leadership on these

issues of security and liberty and big thanks to you Jim and to Joyon for having me today.

Let me begin by saying that this conference could not be more timely.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is going to soon be marking up a new surveillance bill.

And the House and the Senate Judiciary Committees are working on legislation

as well.

Two weeks ago, a bipartisan group of senators, myself included, kicked off this debate by introducing

the first comprehensive bipartisan surveillance reform bill following the June

disclosures. Our legislation would end the bulk collection of Americans records,

close the backdoor search loophole

that allows Americans communications

to be reviewed without a warrant, make the FISA court

operate more like a court that's worthy of our wonderful country, and expand the ability of our citizens to have their

...