On the recordMay 12, 2015
I am here to speak in support of the USA FREEDOM Act, a bill that would restrain the power of government to collect data on phone calls made by average, everyday, ordinary, law- abiding American citizens--300 million-plus Americans--without any suspicion that any one of them is engaged in any kind of criminal activity, any kind of activity involving the collection of foreign intelligence. I appreciate the support I have received for this bill, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with my distinguished colleague, the senior Senator from Vermont. Senator Leahy and I feel passionate about this issue. Although Senator Leahy and I come from different ends of what some would perceive as the political spectrum and although we don't agree on every issue, there are many issues on which we do agree. There are many issues, such as this one, on which we can say that these issues are neither Republican nor Democratic, they are neither liberal nor conservative, they are simply American issues, constitutional issues. They are issues that relate to the proper order of government. They are issues that relate to the rule of law itself. The Constitution of the United States protects the American people against unreasonable searches. It does so against a long historical backdrop of government abuse.…





