Posted on 05/17/2020 1:48:04 PM PDT by USA Conservative
The US Senate has voted to give law enforcement agencies access to web browsing data without a warrant, dramatically expanding the government’s surveillance powers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A bipartisan amendment that would have prohibited law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, from obtaining the web browsing and internet search histories of Americans without a warrant failed to pass in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday by a single vote.
We are talking about the USA Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2020 that would have required authorities to obtain a warrant before gaining access to American internet browsing and search history.
For those that are unaware, key parts of the Patriot Act – namely the mass surveillance section – is currently unauthorized and needs to be reauthorized by Congress to stay in effect. The current bill under consideration to do that is called the US FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has snuck in an amendment that would allow the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to seize internet search and browsing history if they claim it is tied to an active investigation. To try and stop this, Senators Wyden and Daines introduced their own amendment that would stop the FBI from being able to get that information without a warrant – as makes sense. That amendment needed 60 votes to pass, and only received 59 Wednesday afternoon.
So here’s not about being Red or Blue it’s about our rights and constitution.
Twenty-seven Republicans and 10 Democrats voted against the amendment.
Under Section 215 of the Act, the government can compel phone companies and internet service providers to turn over such data, if it is deemed vaguely “relevant” to a terrorism or counterespionage case.
In a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Sen. Wyden questioned whether law-abiding Americans should have to “worry about their government looking over their shoulders” at all times of the day.
“The typical American may think to themselves, I’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ve done nothing wrong. The government has no reason to suspect me of anything. Why should I worry?” Wyden said. “Unfortunately, the question is not whether you did anything wrong. The question is whether a government agent believes they have the right to look at your web searches.”
In a statement to Gizmodo after the vote, Daines said he would continue pressing for reforms to FISA, saying it is “critical” to the privacy of all Americans.
The final vote on Wyden-Daines Amendment was 59-37. Sixty “ayes” were required for it to pass. Members had to be physically present to vote.
Below is a list of senators, by party, who voted against the reform (and those who didn’t vote at all):
Republicans (27):
Barrasso, John (R-WY) Blackburn, Marsha (R-TN) Blunt, Roy (R-MO) Boozman, John (R-AR) Burr, Richard (R-NC) Capito, Shelley Moore (R-WV) Collins, Susan M. (R-ME) Cornyn, John (R-TX) Cotton, Tom (R-AR) Fischer, Deb (R-NE) Graham, Lindsey (R-SC) Hyde-Smith, Cindy (R-MS) Inhofe, James M. (R-OK) Johnson, Ron (R-WI) Lankford, James (R-OK) McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) Perdue, David (R-GA) Portman, Rob (R-OH) Roberts, Pat (R-KS) Romney, Mitt (R-UT) Rubio, Marco (R-FL) Shelby, Richard C. (R-AL) Thune, John (R-SD) Tillis, Thom (R-NC) Toomey, Patrick J. (R-PA) Wicker, Roger F. (R-MS) Young, Todd (R-IN)
Democrats (10):
Carper, Thomas R. (D-DE) Casey, Robert P., Jr. (D-PA) Feinstein, Dianne (D-CA) Hassan, Margaret Wood (D-NH) Jones, Doug (D-AL) Kaine, Tim (D-VA) Manchin, Joe, III (D-WV) Shaheen, Jeanne (D-NH) Warner, Mark R. (D-VA) Whitehouse, Sheldon (D-RI)
Four members did not cast votes: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA).
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The FBI has shown time and time again that they behave and dishonest manner.
Just who gave Hillary Clinton 900 FBI files that she was not supposed to have in the 90s?
We know his track record regarding promises, don't we?
Lindsey
Graham
ping!
Want on or off Linda's fav ping list? Just FReepmail me.
Remember that linda is up for reelection in November.
Remember also that linda announced last August he is writing a Red Flag bill.
It’s the usual suspects. Just use a good VPN to thwart the control freaks.
Cotton, Rubio and Graham, always these guys.
Three words, edited to protect the innocent:
D***
D***
G*
I wonder if congress is exempt.
This is for anyone savvy on computers: Would a VPN protect a person's browsing history?
Since they gave the police the power to search our web history. I should have the same power under FOIA to search their computers for their web history.
Nothing says probable cause, just the ability.
You mean to say that congressmen have not been archiving their search history as government documents?
This is why you need a VPN.
This bunch of !@(*&# who demands ready access to everything WE do on the internet (after they’ve locked us in our houses, that is) are the same people who had NO problem using OUR money to pay off lawsuits from people (or farm animals) they’ve sexually harassed (or worse) and keep that data and the names of the politicians involved a complete secret.
So Sanders, of all people abstained. IMO, the reason Sanders didn’t vote was he no doubt remembers the 60’s when his leftist comrades-in-arms were surveilled by the very same FBI. Apparently he knows to be careful what you wish for.
Senator Burr now where have I seen that name in the Last Week? I can not remember.
I was surprised and disappointed to see Tom Cotton on the list.
I’m especially disappointed in Cotton.
Co-Intel Pro 2.0
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