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Baker joined the Justice Criminal Department in 1990 and went on to work as a [[United States Attorney]]. In 1996 he joined Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (OIPR). This government agency handles all DOJ requests for surveillance authorizations under the terms of the 1978 [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]], advises the [[Attorney General]] and all [[Intelligence Community|major intelligence-gathering agencies]] on legal issues relating to [[national security]] and [[surveillance]], and "coordinates" the views of the intelligence community regarding intelligence legislation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usdoj.gov/oipr/|title=US DOJ website on OIPR|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060115184741/http://www.usdoj.gov/oipr/|archivedate=|date=December 12, 2003|accessdate=}}</ref> Baker has often testified before Congress on behalf of [[Bill Clinton]] and [[George W. Bush]] administration intelligence policies, including defending the [[Patriot Act]] before the [[House Judiciary Committee]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lifeandliberty.gov/subs/testimony/042605-oipr-baker.pdf|title=[STATEMENT JAMES A. BAKER COUNSEL FOR INTELLIGENCE POLICY OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE POLICY AND REVIEW UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE|website=Preserving Life & Liberty|publisher=Department of Justice|accessdate=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050510053933/http://www.lifeandliberty.gov/subs/testimony/042605-oipr-baker.pdf|archivedate=|date=April 26, 2005}}]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lifeandliberty.gov/subs/testimony/042805-oipr-baker.pdf|title=STATEMENT JAMES A. BAKER COUNSEL FOR INTELLIGENCE POLICY OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE POLICY AND REVIEW UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE|website=Preserving Life & Liberty|publisher=Department of Justice|accessdate=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050510055040/http://www.lifeandliberty.gov/subs/testimony/042805-oipr-baker.pdf|archivedate=|date=April 28, 2005}}</ref> Regarding Baker's 2007 appearance on the [[PBS]] ''Frontline'' episode "Spying on the Home Front", the show's producer, in a ''[[Washington Post]]'' online chat, referred to Baker as "Mr. FISA himself".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Young|first1=Rick|title=PBS Frontline: 'Spying on the Home Front'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/05/03/DI2007050301142.html|accessdate=|work=The Washington Post|date=May 16, 2007|quote=Mr. FISA himself, Mr. James Baker, the DOJ point man on FISA.}}</ref>