Zoe Lofgren: “I am especially thankful to Chairman Schiff for yielding me this time since I have reached a different conclusion on the…”

“I am especially thankful to Chairman Schiff for yielding me this time since I have reached a different conclusion on the bill than he has. I would like to quote from the American Civil Liberties Union letter received today. The American Civil Liberties Union strongly urges us to vote ``no'' on this bill. They say: ``Over the last several years, it has been abundantly clear that many of our surveillance laws are broken.'' But that, ``disappointingly, the reforms contained in H.R. 6172 are minimal--in many cases merely representing a codification of the status quo. In addition,'' the ACLU says, ``the bill contains provisions that would be a step back from even our flawed current law.'' The ACLU goes on to say that ``the bill fails to require that individuals receive appropriate notice and access to information when FISA information is used against them,'' that ``the bill fails to fully address deficiencies with the FISA court that have led to illegal surveillance,'' that ``the bill fails to appropriately limit the types of information that can be collected under section 215,'' that ``the bill fails to appropriately raise the standard for collecting information under section 215,'' and that ``the bill fails to appropriately limit the retention of information collected under section 215.'' I agree with the chairman that the roving wiretap provision in the act is important and should be renewed.…”