On the recordApril 19, 2024
Mr. President, I rise in opposition to the amendment. Before I get to the substance, let me remind my colleague, I think, of something we have discussed a lot. Any amendment added to this bill at the moment is the equivalent of killing the bill. Many have said: If we go past midnight tonight, it doesn't really matter. Already, telecom companies--a number--have contacted the Department of Justice saying: If this bill expires--as it will at midnight--they will stop complying with 702, one of the most critical components of our intelligence backbone. The specifics of this amendment are opposed by every law enforcement agency in America. It also is opposed by a number of Jewish community groups, including B'nai B'rith and the Anti-defamation League. I would agree with the Senator from Kentucky: We ought to have a debate about data brokers. But 702 is not the place to have it. As a matter of fact, the House decided not to include this in their discussion of 702. If we pass this amendment, the only people who are going to be taken out from purchasing data will be law enforcement--not foreign companies, not foreign governments, or others. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time has expired. The Senator from Kentucky.
