Jim Sensenbrenner: “You know you have drafted a strong bill when you unite both national security hawks and civil libertarians. The USA…”

“You know you have drafted a strong bill when you unite both national security hawks and civil libertarians. The USA FREEDOM Act has done that. It also has the support of privacy groups, tech companies, and the intelligence community. This bill is an extremely well-drafted compromise, the product of nearly 2 years of work. It effectively protects America's civil liberties and our national security. I am very proud of the USA FREEDOM Act and am confident it is the most responsible path forward. I do not fault my colleagues who wish that this bill went further to protect our civil liberties. For years, the government has violated the privacy of innocent Americans, and I share your anger, but letting section 215 and other surveillance authorities expire would not only threaten our national security, it would also mean less privacy protections. I emphasize it would also mean less privacy protections. The USA FREEDOM Act also ends bulk collections across all domestic surveillance authorities, not just section 215. It also expands transparency with increased reporting from both government and private companies. If the administration finds a new way to circumvent the law, Congress and the public will know. The bill also requires the FISC to declassify significant legal decisions, bringing an end to secret laws. If the PATRIOT Act authorities expire and the FISC approves bulk collection under a different authority, how will the public know?…”