Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

These Are The 37 Senators That Voted To Allow FBI To Look At Your Internet History Without A Warrant
Right Journalism ^ | 05.17.2020 | Natalie Dagenhardt

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).

Please share this article wherever you can. It is the only way we can work around their censorship and ensure people receive news about issues that the mainstream media suppress.


TOPICS: Conspiracy; Government; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: blogspam; clickbait; deepstate; fbi; internetsecurity; linda; ms; senate
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-64 next last
To: USA Conservative

It probably does defy the Constitution, here:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

But the Executive, the Judiciary and Congress have slid down a slippery slope of making the 4th Amendment irrelevant when it comes to national security intelligence. All three branches have usually stood with each other on that slide.


21 posted on 05/17/2020 2:18:58 PM PDT by Wuli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #22 Removed by Moderator

Comment #23 Removed by Moderator

To: E. Pluribus Unum

All you need to know about a VPN and more

https://www.google.com/search?q=VPN.&rlz=1CAMWDF_enUS770US770&oq=VPN.&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


24 posted on 05/17/2020 2:28:29 PM PDT by Grampa Dave ( The CHICOM/PRCNN, controllers of America's Fake news media, CDCNN, WHO, are the Deep Staters!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: USA Conservative

unreasonable searches and seizures.


25 posted on 05/17/2020 2:28:31 PM PDT by AndyJackson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: a fool in paradise

Damn straight. They write laws for us but exclude themselves.


26 posted on 05/17/2020 2:31:13 PM PDT by Dacula (Day 23 of Georgia opening up and I am still alive)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: USA Conservative

Get a good VPN. We’ve learned over the past three years - if not before - that the Feds don’t care if you are committing crimes, if you enter their radar screen they will just make up a crime and do whatever it takes to nail you for it. Don’t make it easier for them.


27 posted on 05/17/2020 2:33:32 PM PDT by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #28 Removed by Moderator

To: Mr. N. Wolfe

Like FOIA, count on it.


29 posted on 05/17/2020 2:35:53 PM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: bkopto

“Just use a good VPN”

Then you go on the list of those who use a VPN. And you can bet they know the difference between your employers corporate VPN and PIA. Don’t get me wrong, I use a VPN, but I have my eyes open about what that means. What we need is for everyone to use a VPN. But even if the sheeple figure out how to do it, they will drop it as soon as their favorite dancing teddybear site starts blocking VPNs. Like Free Republic does sometimes.


30 posted on 05/17/2020 2:37:02 PM PDT by beef (Caution: Potential Sarcasm - Process Accordingly)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: USA Conservative

It appears that neither senator from Arizona voted to protect our rights.


31 posted on 05/17/2020 2:41:16 PM PDT by mouske
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TBP

I’m especially disappointed in Cotton.


Cotton and Blackburn do not make many mistakes.

There probably is something unknown to us going on.

Wait and see what happens before getting too upset.

Ordinarily both have worked hard for conservative causes.


32 posted on 05/17/2020 2:44:31 PM PDT by old curmudgeon (There is no situation so terrible, so disgraceful, that the federal government can not make worse)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: old curmudgeon

Cotton and Blackburn stuck out to me, too. This does not seem like something they would back. Must be something more to the bill to which this was attached.


33 posted on 05/17/2020 2:50:15 PM PDT by woweeitsme
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: USA Conservative

A pox on all their houses!

It’s none of their damn business.


34 posted on 05/17/2020 2:50:33 PM PDT by Boomer ('Democrat' is now synonymous with 'corrupt')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #35 Removed by Moderator

To: mouske

“It appears that neither senator from Arizona voted to protect our rights.”

Same in NC but even worse that means alot more D’s voted for our liberty here than R’s.

Inside trader Burr is leaving but Linda needs to go as well.


36 posted on 05/17/2020 3:02:23 PM PDT by LeoTDB69
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: USA Conservative

“E-services weren’t included in the constitution.”

Neither was cable news for that matter so maybe they shouldn’t be entitled under freedom of the press. :) LOL


37 posted on 05/17/2020 3:14:46 PM PDT by LeoTDB69
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: beef

How’s a VPN going to help you conceal your browsing history?


38 posted on 05/17/2020 3:29:17 PM PDT by frogjerk (We are conservatives. Not libertarians, not "fiscal conservatives", not moderates)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: hardspunned

And Marsha Blackburn.


39 posted on 05/17/2020 3:31:32 PM PDT by Engedi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: old curmudgeon

Exactly. Something more to this. They are staunch patriots and supporters of Trump.


40 posted on 05/17/2020 3:33:11 PM PDT by Engedi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-64 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson