SE Valley Times

The House Judiciary Committee has taken a significant step towards ending warrantless surveillance of Americans by advancing Congressman Andy Biggs' major legislation. The committee passed H.R. 6570, the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act (PLEWSA), with an overwhelming 35-2 vote.

The PLEWSA aims to overhaul Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by requiring a warrant for all U.S. person searches. Currently, FISA 702 allows the government to intercept electronic communications of non-U.S. persons outside the United States. However, this often results in the collection of Americans' communications, which are stored by intelligence agencies and can be accessed without a warrant. This loophole has allowed for the abuse of FISA authorities for far too long.

Congressman Biggs expressed his gratitude to his colleagues for advancing this legislation, calling it "one of the most consequential pieces of legislation ever related to ending government surveillance abuse." He emphasized the importance of protecting Fourth Amendment privacy rights and preventing the misuse of FISA authorities.

In his statement, Congressman Biggs urged Speaker Johnson to bring the legislation to the House Floor for a vote and called on his colleagues from both sides of the aisle to support this package. He highlighted that any attempt to delay or pass a clean extension of the current FISA authorities would be a disservice to the American people.

The legislation also includes reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and addresses loopholes that allow the federal government to obtain Americans' data from tech companies without a warrant. By closing these loopholes, the PLEWSA seeks to safeguard the privacy and constitutional rights of American citizens.

The bipartisan nature of the vote demonstrates a mutual interest in protecting Fourth Amendment privacy rights from any potential misuse of surveillance powers. Congressman Biggs expressed his hope that this legislation will be swiftly brought to the House Floor for a vote, emphasizing the importance of putting the American people's interests first.

The PLEWSA has garnered support from a range of cosponsors, including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). These cosponsors recognize the significance of this legislation in protecting privacy rights and ensuring that surveillance powers are used solely for national security purposes.

This major step towards ending warrantless surveillance of Americans is welcomed by those who value privacy rights and the protection of civil liberties. The passage of H.R. 6570 by the House Judiciary Committee is a promising development in the ongoing efforts to reform surveillance practices and safeguard the constitutional rights of American citizens.

The full text of the legislation can be accessed [here](link to the legislation). Statements in support of the legislation can be found [here](link to the statements).

Dec 6 2023

Click this link to access more information: https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-applauds-house-judiciary-committee-advancing-major-0