Oakland Privacy joined 41 other civil rights groups to endorse the USA Rights Acts which was introduced today to meaningfully reform Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
The USA Rights Act creates a search warrant requirement that closes the “backdoor” loophole, permanently ends the “about” exception which had allowed for warrantless searches of communications that mentioned intelligence targets, requires the government to give notice when using information derived from Section 702 surveillance against US persons or on US soil, declassifies FISA court opinions, and sunsets in 4 years. More details available here.
Senate co-sponsors are Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tom Udall (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jon Tester (D-MT). The original cosponsors in the House are: Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Ted Poe (R-TX), Beto O’Rourke (R-TX).
Letter from 42 Orgs in Support of USA RIGHTS Act 2017-10-24
Follow Up Letter Opposing USA LIBERTY ACT Unless It Closes The Backdoor
2017-10-31 Oppose USA LIBERTY w-o backdoor fix