Newsletter: Important Update on the NSA's Spying Program

Statement

Dear friend,

This month, the US House debated and passed H.R. 3361, the USA FREEDOM Act. This bill was intended to scale back the National Security Agency (NSA)'s overreaching data collection program. I voted for the bill when it was brought before the House Judiciary Committee. However, it changed in a significant way before it was brought to the House floor. Specifically, the bulk data collection provision of the bill was significantly weakened, and I ended up voting against it.

The American people have made it clear they oppose the NSA's mass surveillance program. We had a good bill -- the original version of the USA FREEDOM Act -- that would have fulfilled the will of the people and protected our civil liberties. That should have been the bill we voted on. At the very least, the full House should not have voted until we got detailed answers as to why the bill was changed and what the impact of those changes would be. Since that clarity was not forthcoming, I decided to vote against it.

Please know that I will keep fighting for real legislation to stop the NSA's abuse of power and, in time, we will succeed.

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