Senate extends FISA for another 5 years while sacrificing transparency and your 4th Amendment rights
Friday, December 28, 2012 at 5:38 pm by Samantha A. PeetrosBORDC is disappointed in the Senate’s failure to check and balance executive violations under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
In a 73-23 vote the Senate overwhelming approved the legislation for another 5 years—one of few notable showings of bipartisan support this term, coming at the expense of transparency and 4th amendment rights. Senator Wyden (D-Ore.) reflected on the extension and the importance of this week’s debate saying:
It is not real oversight when the United States Congress cannot get a yes or no answer to the question of whether an estimate currently exists as to whether law abiding Americans have had their phone calls and emails swept up under the FISA law.
The amendment I fought to include would have helped bring the constitutional principles of security and liberty back into balance and intend to work with my colleagues to see that the liberties of individual Americans are maintained.
This overreaching authorization of unwarranted and unprecedented domestic surveillance will now move to the President’s desk for his signature, expected tonight before the midnight expiration of the previous approval of FISA. Unfortunately, Senators have followed in the footsteps of the House, passing an identical bill, failing to heed the voices of Americans dem
anding answers and the restoration of their Fourth Amendment rights.
With Congress failing to check the most pervasive dragnet surveillance program in the world, it is increasingly important for Americans to mobilize and take action locally. View the many resources BORDC provides for local organization and coalition building online, or contact us to find out
about new opportunities in your area.
Tags: civil liberties, civil rights, Congress, due process, electronic privacy, FISA, Fourth Amendment, government secrecy, Obama administration, warrantless surveillance
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December 30th, 2012 at 9:09 am
[...] Senate extends FISA for another 5 years while sacraficing transparency and your 4th Amendment rights [...]
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