supporters of surveillance programs tried to beat back thoughts that the government is listening to phone calls in the u.s. >> it's against the law for the u.s. to record and monitor americans' phone calls. >> reporter: another sup(orter, dick cheney, someone who rarely agrees with the obama white house, does on this. the gop vice president on the day of 9/11 says these programs cát have prevented that attack. >> i guess i'd ask everybody to pause and don't automatically fold the nsa in with the other stuff that's going on in the obama administration because this is a program run by professionals. it's done great work. it has saved lives. >> reporter: but nay sayers like colorado democrat mark udall are not giving up. >> i don't think that collec$n% millions and millions of americans' phone calls -- this is the metadata, time, place, to whom you direct the calls -- is making us any safer. >> reporter: mark udall is one of several lawmakers who have been pushing in closed,