Amodei votes to protect American civil liberties, end bulk data collection by NSA

May 13, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Brian Baluta, 202-225-6155

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-2) today voted in favor of H.R. 2048, the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015, which would end the National Security Agency’s (NSA) bulk collection of telephone metadata under the USA Patriot Act, protect civil liberties, increase transparency of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and strengthen national security. Currently, the NSA is authorized to collect and store phone records, but not the content of calls made. The measure passed the House 338 to 88.

“Our liberties and our national security, the protection of which are central tenets of our Republic, should not be a zero-sum game,” said Amodei. “The USA FREEDOM Act would undertake reforms to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans while sharpening the focus on international terrorism. I am glad the House took sensible action on this fundamental issue and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to follow suit.”

The Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring (USA FREEDOM) Act:

Ends bulk data collection

Prohibits bulk data collection under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, FISA Pen Register and Trap and Trace Device authority, and national security letters.
Narrows definition of Specific Selection Term and does not permit collection of records from a large geographic area such as state, county, city or zip code.
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) orders permit production of call records when there is reasonable, articulable suspicion the Specific Selection Term is associated with international terrorism and explicitly excludes content, limits information to only phone numbers, time and duration of calls.
Requires minimization and destruction of call detail records unrelated to foreign intelligence.

Reforms the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

Appoints Amicus Curiae panel to provide the FISA Court with legal arguments to protect civil liberties and privacy.
Declassifies decisions, orders and opinions of court, including interpretations of law and Specific Selection Term.
Requires annual reporting on FISA orders to Congress, which is to be publicly posted on website.
Allows private companies to disclose FISA orders.

Protects National Security

Closes loopholes and allows continued authorized tracking of foreign terrorists for 72 hours if they enter the United States and threaten death or bodily harm to others.
Increases maximum penalty for providing material support to terrorists from 15 to 20 years.

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