Russ Feingold: “this amendment was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It ensures that in implementing the new authorities…”

“this amendment was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It ensures that in implementing the new authorities provided in the bill, the Government is acquiring the communications of targets from whom it seeks to obtain foreign intelligence information and that it is not indiscriminately collecting all communications between the United States and overseas. This amendment is necessary because of the vast and overbroad authorities provided by the PAA in this bill. In public testimony, the DNI stated that the PAA could authorize this type of bulk collection and could cover every communication between Americans inside the United States, in Europe, in South America, or the entire world. He also said that the Government is not actually engaging in this type of broad bulk collection but that it would be ``desirable.'' This amendment would not impede in any way collection in support of military operations, as the opponents continue to falsely assert. This extremely modest amendment would, however, oppose a massive bulk collection dragnet, which Chairman Rockefeller has even acknowledged would violate the Constitution. I urge support for the amendment.”