Free Republic

Attorney General William P. Barr issued the following statement:"I have reviewed the House FISA bill and support its passage.  The bill contains an array of new requirements and compliance provisions that will protect against abuse and misuse in the future while ensuring that this critical tool is available when appropriate to protect the safety of the American people.I am pleased that the bill contains a number of provisions Director Wray and I put forward to address past failures, including compliance failures that the Inspector General has identified for us in his recent audit work.  The IG’s analysis and recommendations...

How the US conducts surveillance and investigation of electronic communication media–particularly the internet–is largely shaped by three pieces of legislation: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT Act) Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ending Eavesdropping, Dragnet-collection and Online Monitoring Act (USA FREEDOM Act) To give a very brief history, FISA was enacted in 1978–before the proliferation of the internet–and governed both the physical and electronic surveillance of primarily foreign powers and agents. The Patriot Act, enacted shortly after the September 11, 2001...

President Obama pressured the Senate on Saturday to immediately authorize the USA Freedom Act. “Today, I’m calling on Americans to join me in speaking with one voice to the Senate,” Obama said in his weekly address. “Put the politics aside,” he said. “Put our national security first. Pass the USA Freedom Act — now.”