Steven Holt: “I thank the gentleman, and I recognize the work that Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Goodlatte, Mr. Scott, and…”

“I thank the gentleman, and I recognize the work that Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Goodlatte, Mr. Scott, and others have put into this, but it still falls woefully short. This legislation still allows the government to collect everything they want against Americans, to treat Americans as suspects first and citizens second. It still allows decisions about whom to target and how aggressively to go after acquaintances of acquaintances of targets, to be made by mid-level employees, not Federal judges. Most important, the fundamental decisions under this will be made against a weak, inferior standard that does not reach probable cause, so that the government can spy on people based on weak suspicions and not on legally established probable cause. Now, my friends say: don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. The perfect? How can anyone here vote for legislation that doesn't uphold the constitutional standard of probable cause? Probable cause has been well-established in law for two centuries, to keep Americans secure by keeping intelligence and enforcement officers focused on real threats, not on vague suspicions or wild-goose chases. A decade ago, there was a major change in the relationship between Americans and their government. This bill does not correct it.”