Once every five years or so, Congress reviews the US government's PATRIOT Act powers to spy on communications between US persons. That time is now, and there's a vital change we need your help with.
Last week, the Senate voted to renew the PATRIOT Act's most controversial powers, in the form of the "USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act." They included some language improving transparency, but only 59 out of 100 Senators voted for a key amendment that would have required the FBI to get a warrant before they access US persons' browser or search history. The amendment required 60 votes, so it failed; but we have another shot at getting this crucial protection into the final bill.
The bill is now moving to the House, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi can introduce it in whatever form she wants. It's in her sole power as Speaker to introduce a version that 59 Senators supported, including 3/4 of Democratic Senators, with the
key "Daines-Wyden" amendment in it.
So, please use SaveInternetPrivacy.org to call Speaker Pelosi's DC office, and tell her to include the text of the Daines-Wyden amendment in HR 6172, the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act. The FBI shouldn't be free to find out what you're searching for or what sites you've been to, without a proper, Fourth Amendment-compliant judicial warrant. Anything else abuses the Constitution.
You and activists like you already helped get us farther than we might ever have imagined. The PATRIOT Act provisions at issue have now been dead for two months, longer than at any time since 9/11, and we're no less safe without them than we were before. But if Congress is going to insist on bringing them back from the dead, this time around they'd better revive them WITH privacy protections in place.
Please call Speaker Pelosi today using SaveInternetPrivacy.org; she's deciding this week what to do. She needs to hear the message loud and clear: No spying on our search or browser history without a warrant!
Thank you for fighting for the Fourth Amendment!
