Alex Marthews, National Chair, Restore The Fourth via ActionNetwork.org:
The federal government wants in. In your home, in your phone, inside your computer. And [this] week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is trying to revive intrusive PATRIOT Act powers that expired in March, with the help of pro-surveillance allies among both Democrats and Republicans.
But, before these powers expired, McConnell was forced into offering surveillance reformers in the Senate a chance to make their case.
There will now be votes on three amendments, which Senators Daines (R-CO), Leahy (D-VT), Lee (R-UT), Paul (R-KY) and Wyden (D-OR) are using to push important reforms to the surveillance state. If the three amendments pass, they would give a regular voice to civil liberties concerns at the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, especially when the government applies to surveil journalists or political or religious organizations. The law would no longer allow the government to warrantlessly acquire Americans' internet search and browsing history. It would be a small, vital step back from the turnkey tyranny of today's mass surveillance systems.
That’s why your Senators need to hear from you, right now. Call them today at 202-224-3121. Tell them to stop the executive branch’s abuse of power, and vote for crucial amendments to protect our civil liberties!
You and activists like you already threw enough sand in the gears that we prevented them from renewing these powers; this has been the first month since 9/11 without the most abusive provisions of the PATRIOT Act. It's only every five years or so that these powers are up for debate. At this crucial moment, we have a little bit of a whip-hand over the folks who have been spying on us without a care for the Constitution for decades. We need to use this moment well.
Tell your senators: Please vote Yes on the three pro-civil-liberties amendments being offered to HR 6172, the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act. And, if McConnell goes ahead with his plan to offer companion amendments to thwart them, your Senator should vote against those as well.
Thank you for fighting for the Fourth Amendment!
