On Jan. 23, the Senate unanimously passed a measure requiring the government to produce a detailed report on the TIA system's goals, costs and consequences. The senator sponsoring the amendment, Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he was worried that TIA -- a Defense Department research project that aims to identify terrorists by analyzing personal data collected in computer databases -- was being developed without congressional oversight; his plan, he said, would cause the program to be "respectful of constitutional protections and safeguards, while still ensuring that our nation can continue to fight terrorism."

But while Congress asks for reports, TIA is already steaming forward. According to people with knowledge of the program, TIA has now advanced to the point where it's much more than a mere "research project." There is a working prototype of the system, and federal agencies outside the Defense Department have expressed interest in it.