Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) signed on as a cosponsor of the USA FREEDOM Act, which would reform the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of Americans’ communications and other personal information, on Thursday.
“The NSA needs to stop invading the privacy of ordinary, everyday Americans,” Buchanan said. “Our strength as a nation flows from the values and freedoms laid out in the Constitution, including the right against unreasonable searches and seizures. The USA FREEDOM Act institutes the proper reforms to protect the privacy and liberties of the American people.”
Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WIs.) introduced the USA FREEDOM Act in an effort to overhaul information collection efforts without weakening national security.
Buchanan, a member of the Congressional Privacy Caucus, cited revelations over the last five months that hundreds of millions of telephone records and e-mails had been collected from Americans as proof that reforms are needed.
The USA FREEDOM Act would end bulk collections of communications between individuals who are not the subject of an investigation and reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
Other provisions of the bill would establish transparency through more stringent reporting requirements. FISC officials would make regular reports to Congress. National security officials would also be required to release information on the estimated number of individuals and businesses who were subjected to FISA surveillance orders.