Rep. Johnson denounces Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act without privacy protections

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee (HASC) member Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) today announced he cannot support the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) without important modifications necessary to safeguard Americans' civil liberties and privacy rights:

“Although FISA is designed to defend the nation against international terrorism and other threats, it has resulted in the illegal surveillance of an untold number of American citizens. The Fourth Amendment prohibits the unreasonable and unwarranted search and seizure of the communications of American citizens, including eavesdropping and snooping on their voice and data communications. But under Title VII of FISA, no warrant or a showing of probable cause exists where information is over collected and includes Americans’ communications. Any counterterrorism measure must have a solid constitutional footing and respect the privacy rights and civil liberties of the American people.”

Watch the floor speech HERE.

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