Political Quotes

“Mr. President, as I explained on the Senate floor yesterday, the House FISA reauthorization bill, known as RISAA, has a lot of problems--more problems than a math book. Not only are the bill's purported reforms mostly fake--and where they are not fake, they are woefully inadequate--but the bill itself actually expands FISA. It expands FISA surveillance beyond where it has existed in the past. In fact, RISAA authorizes the largest expansion of surveillance on U.S. domestic soil since the passage of the Patriot Act. Egregious Fourth Amendment violations against U.S. citizens will increase dramatically if this bill is passed into law as it stands now. Fortunately, there is one thing standing between where that bill stands now and where that bill could be soon if we enact it without amendment, and that is the U.S. Senate. Under article I, section 7, the same bill has to pass both Houses before it can be presented to the President for signature, veto, or acquiescence. RISAA, as amended by the Turner amendment, would allow the government to compel a huge range of ordinary U.S. businesses and individuals and other organizations, exempting only an odd assortment of entities, including hotels, libraries, and restaurants, to assist the U.S. Government in spying on American citizens. Currently, the government conducts FISA 702 surveillance with the compelled assistance of what are known as electronic communication service providers, or ECSPs.…”