James Barrett: “it has been 30 years since Congress first implemented FISA allowing the use of telecommunications technology against…”

“it has been 30 years since Congress first implemented FISA allowing the use of telecommunications technology against those who threaten the safety of our people and our way of life. The majority party has refused to believe that FISA needs to be modernized in a way that improves our intelligence agencies' capability to gather information, not hamper it. When FISA passed 30 years ago, technology didn't include devices used now on an everyday basis. Just think, 10 years ago hardly anybody even owned a cell phone. The Director of National Intelligence testified before the House Judiciary Committee that if the government required FISA court orders for surveillance overseas, approximately 66 percent of the information normally collected would be lost. Therefore, Congress should have its duty to update the tools used by our intelligence officials so that they have the ability to gather all the essential information to prevent future attacks. FISA needs to be modernized. I encourage my colleagues on the floor today to vote against this flawed FISA bill.”