>> it is thursday, september 12 at 5 p.m. in washington dc. i am megan lopez and you're watching rk. john kerry is in geneva, switzerland, participating in another round of talks with his russian counterpart about the chemical disarmament of syrian military forces. as well as chemical weapons experts that will discuss the overarching question of how this

disarmament will happen. a resolution at the end of these negotiations. and they discussed disarmament. >> this is not a game. i said that to my friend serge. it has to be verifiable and it has to be credible. it has to be timely and implemented in a timely fashion. finally, there ought to be consequences. >> the military option is not off of the table after all. resident assad has openly agreed to hand over chemical arms in his first interview with reporters since the news of a possible agreement came out. the united nations secretary general's office has confirmed it has received an application from syria to join the

international convention banning production and use. it will take 30 days to become a party and they will submit data on the chemical arsenal one month after that if the u.s. halts the threat of military action. >> one of the only new stations to have a reporter on the ground in syria. maria and her team are in the historic christian town that has been the scene of some of the most brutal fighting as of late. one of her crew members was injured as a result of the chaos. >> where we are right now, everywhere we go, it is a recent battle. we can hear shelling, but we were told that this is serious. >> the jihadist have been booted

out. >> some of them were killed, some of them escaped. >> locals joined the army to defend their native town. the soldiers are the so-called national defense. >> the terrain is very difficult with mountains and caves, but we know the area better. >> we come across a shop owner that we filmed back in 2012. he told us the armed rebels have not come to their village. and why would they? he has questions again. >> syria is a land of history and love. they sent terrorists here to kill syrians and each other. why? i ask why. if a european citizen is slapped across the face, there would be

a scandal. how many victims or hundreds of thousands have been slaughtered? when will it stop. >> held by the militants for a week, it seems mountaintops still pose a threat. >> our goal was to liberate it and push on to the monastery. but we could not do it because snipers are everywhere. >> they turned to many monasteries and mosques. we see either crosses and we see jihadist flags. we started to head back. while in the car, something goes wrong. we take cover in a place where we find dozens of army soldiers hiding from enemy bullets. the main road is being targeted

and it is our only way out. we think of our chances when our engineer gets hit. thankfully, it is not serious. it becomes clear we can't wait a minute more. i am stuck in this corner and we are trying to get out of here. >> go. >> clear.

>> did you hear the bullets? >> we reached a safe area. from behind, we were told that this is the syrian army again. and we leave. government forces continue their offensive, which, despite claims, remains under siege. reporting from syria. >> it is called the national security agency but in light of the seemingly endless stream of leaks detailing spying, perhaps

a more accurate name is the national surveillance agency. not only do we know that the nsa can access your phone and e-mail metadata, but it has accidentally collected citizen information in the past. there are numerous cases of blatant abuse. we also know the agency is sharing this data with other government entities and other countries. this controversy was dominating political conversation before congress who are now on recess, but it has taken over the spotlight. one congressman is ready to dismantle the patriot act that gives the government these kinds of overreaching surveillance capabilities. he is also willing to take on parts of the foreign intelligence surveillance act as well. senator holt of new jersey joined earlier to talk about his efforts to rein in the government and joined me earlier

about why it is so important to him. >> we have seen a lot of excesses and missteps come to public attention now. the nsa has gone out of bounds for a number of ways. their heavy-handed manipulation of encryption, of codes, with heavy-handed approach to whistleblowers. all of this is coming to light. it means that the legislation i introduced months ago is all the more relevant. let's hope that it becomes supported. we will find out. >> let's talk about this agreement that recently came to light whereby the nsa passes

along raw data and intelligence to israel, not just about u.s. citizens but on canadians, brits, new zealanders, and australians. what do you make of this recent information? years, the u.s. has shared intelligence with israel and vice versa. as in so many cases, with the intelligence community, there has been too little congressional oversight. these things that are done in the name of the security of the american people. to say that things are done in the national interest, we know that with surveillance of

americans, the nsa went way overboard outside of the constitution in surveilling americans, collecting data, really personal data about americans without probable cause and without good court oversight. the court has said it has come to light and recently released papers that they felt they were lied to. and then the nsa admitted that all of this collection and use was so extensive that no one in the nsa knew what they were doing. they were so out of control, they did not even know what they were doing. as for collecting and sharing with other countries, that to needs more congressional oversight.

the nsa and most of the agencies have been operating with impunity and without oversight. they got what they wanted because they said it was in national interest and they get lots of funding. and a free hand to do what ever they want to do that they believe is in the national interest. only to discover some years later, for the public and their representatives to discover it is not necessarily in the national interest. certain kinds of sharing of intelligence. and i haven't even really addressed the matter of encryption. the nsa has, over the years, a responsibility to see that communications within the united states be carried out securely. when the president wants to use

the phone on air force one, the phone conversation won't be stolen by someone else. it turns out the nsa, looking at the electronic chips as well as the computer software used for encryption by banks and online purchasers a, has been compromised and the nsa can intercept the otherwise encrypted messages. what that says to the world is, don't buy american merchandise. or american software. it has been compromised by the nsa. in all of these ways, we have examples of an agency run amok.

and it underscores the need for congressional oversight and public awareness. and in some cases, public outcry. >> your repeal act wants to repeal the patriot act and parts of the fisa amendments. they partnered with at&t to get information going back 27 years. is the surveillance more than just the patriot act? >> some of the excesses of the intelligence community predate the patriot act. many of the excesses derived from this legislation that was passed in fear and the procedures adopted and the

programs undertaken after 2001, undertaken in fear, many of the excesses that the public is becoming familiar with, they are from that time. the patriot act is passed in the weeks after september 11. it goes overboard in a number of ways. not just in what the nsa thinks it empowered them to do, but the amendments act which i would also repeal, it came some years later. it has also been used for justification of these excessive practices by the nsa. >> while there is a huge

spotlight on what the government is doing with your data, the question of how the government is organizing its own data has been less explored until now. congressman issa has been trying to standardize the way different agencies keep track of their spending so taxpayers can examine where their money is going. she brings us this report. >> the federal government has been collecting all sorts of data on citizens but does a terrible job organizing its own data, especially when it comes to spending. they are using 20th century technology to track the 21st century. the federal government is so large and expansive, it doesn't even have a full list of all the different agencies, departments, and programs. these organizations do not report in the same place or in a standard format, making the information on searchable,

incomplete, and not transparent to taxpayers. the data transparency coalition is advocating for data reform. >> on a transaction by transaction level, everything is available for the public to see. >> but if it was published in an easily accessible place, would they like what they see? formally of the u.s. office of management and budget said -- >> if you unleash all of this data and a lot of people like me with nothing better to do following the money that my congressman or senator is spending, you will have 2 million pairs of eyes watching everybody in this country and the way they spen money. i think this is a tremendous power they are unleashed and the public will love it. >> they are not fully flexing

that power. the congressman reduce and ask that requires the government to publix -- publish any document. >> you have to comply with a common standard and you will get some resistance unless there is an order to do so. >> the chairman also sent a strong letter to the sec chair that expresses -- >> my disappointment that we have not gone digital and there are transcribing errors. to get them online in their original format and checked reduces cost and increases reliability. >> it launches an investigation into the security and exchanges commission. the representative does not think this is a partisan issue.

>> i think it is a little extra work. we have this lack of interoperability. the challenge is doing something. >> it would also open innovative technology markets. >> the burden of compliance will be lifted without sacrificing oversight. we will see a productivity boom hombre bowl to the introduction of the pc and we will see economic growth, new jobs, and more. >> can they make data reform a priority? >> we will get to work on these issues as well.

>> internet ceos are speaking out against the way the nsa has handled american communications. >> all the information they share with us, it is our government job to protect all of us. i think that they did a bad job of balancing those things. i think that the government blew it. >> zuckerberg was not alone. at the techcrunch conference, the yahoo ceo said that she has made numerous pushes for transparency but that she is at the end of her rope.

>> in 2007, yahoo filed a lawsuit against the patriot act, and we lost. if you don't comply, it is treason. >> they can't fight back against the government, does anyone else stand a chance? today's tech report. are any of these comments surprising to you? >> facebook and microsoft, they have taken a line in that they don't like these requests from government agencies.

we are trying very hard with litigation or negotiation. trying to disclose the actual amount of data. >> i am wondering if some of the reasons behind what they are doing, are these trying to save their own butts? >> they do have the save their own butts, with reputations of consumers. >> it is our global basis. so when these revelations about the -- disclosures. it is pretty much any law- enforcement agency, but the foreign intelligence surveillance act, they don't really have a choice.

they can argue and minimize the impact of the request. they can't ignore it. it does not really happen all that often. >> what can the companies do at this point? >> they have recently said they will continue to prsue litigation and lawsuit to force the government to allow google and microsoft to disclose the number and specifics, information about the request that they get from the government. these are secret requests. to this point, even talking

about these requests has been a legal. >> what if they refuse to give the information? could they be arrested and charged? >> they can be held in some kind of contempt. companies have to follow the law. they can change the law, repeal the law, or something like that. remember that the foreign intelligence surveillance act by congress, in the open, it has been on the books for some time. we are beginning to see what the law is capable of. >> this is a question that i have been asking my guests, and

i will keep asking it until there is a realistic solution. how can the public protect itself from this surveillance? >> you can convince -- protect yourself to a certain point. there are encryption solutions available. when properly implemented, that is a key phrase, there are ways when you can minimize or lessen your exposure to these technologies. a lot of the technologies have been compromised. the unencrypted data can be found or compromised in other ways. but your faith in mathematics. and the ability of making your message difficult to read. that is a good step. >> thank you for the information and the advice. a senior editor at all things

digital. in the last few months, immigration reform had taken a backseat in congress. activists are fighting to bring issues back to the forefront. women came together to call on the house of representatives to move forward and secure a path for citizenship for the 11 million aspiring u.s. citizens. it was the largest act of civil disobedience on behalf of immigration reform to date. >> 100 immigrant women participated in a civil disobedience action where they voluntarily got arrested at the capitol and are protesting against what they call unjust immigration policies that are tearing families apart. >> many of my other family members are undocumented and i am always living in fear of them being separated from me. that is really worrisome.

>> they need immigration reform and to be able to come out and get medication for their kids or to buy food to put on their tables. without being scared to go to work. i wonder if they come back, well my mom or dad be home? >> the majority of immigrants are women and children. this is an issue that hits very close to home. it is important to know that many of the women here today are undocumented. this is specifically representing the domestic industry as health care aides for the elderly and sick. these are jobs that do not provide pay stubs and don't provide verification of work. and therefore is very difficult to obtain a path to citizenship. that is why they are here today, risking arrest and calling for congress to take action once and for all.

>> the house needs to be united. there is strong bipartisan support for this in the senate and the house. women are standing up to say it is time for the house to be united. >> women and children and families cannot afford to wait anymore. >> there is a lot of emotion out here today, and the millions more they represent, considering their livelihood and future rest on the ability of congress to put politics aside and find a meaningful resolution. >> organizers say that over 100 women that were arrested this afternoon, 15 have been released so far. the others will be released later this evening. they each had to pay a $50 fine but nothing will go on their record. remember that pesky piece of

legislation we told you about earlier this year known as the monsanto protection act? against the outcry of farmers, it slipped into appropriationsr 2013. under the auspices it would expire in six months time. >> their writer, the former insurance provision was even in the bill in the first place. six months have come and gone and the act has now been approved by the house for a three-month extension. from the threat of lawsuit against, as a result, of their genetically modified seeds. it bars federal courts from forcing these giants even if it is known that the product is linked to harmful health effects . speaking out against the extension, saying that the writer represents an

unprecedented attack on u.s. judicial review, an essential element of u.s. law and providing a critical check on government decisions that may negatively impact human health. at least for now, it looks as if this act is here to stay. that will do it for now. i see you right back here at 8:00 p.m. with more news and in-depth interviews. abby martin is coming up at the top of the hour.

hello, and welcome back to nhk "newsline." i'm catherine kobayashi in to goy. syrian leaders are taking steps to give up their chemical weapons. ment ba smar al assad has endorsed a proposal. and he said his country is applying for membership in the international treaty t