Statement by the Press Secretary on the USA FREEDOM Act
buzzz worthy. . .
In
January 2014—a year-and-a-half ago—the President called on Congress to
reform elements of our electronic surveillance programs. The President
and members of his team subsequently
worked painstakingly with members of Congress from both parties to
craft a sensible path forward. The result, the USA FREEDOM Act, struck a
reasonable compromise balancing security and privacy—allowing us to
continue to protect the country while implementing
various reforms, including prohibiting bulk collection through the use
of Section 215, FISA pen registers, and National Security Letters.
National security professionals, civil libertarians, and 338 members of
the House of Representatives—both Democrats and
Republicans—agreed that the legislation allowed our intelligence and
law enforcement professionals to retain key tools while strengthening
civil liberty protections.
The
Senate took an important—if late—step forward tonight. We call on the
Senate to ensure this irresponsible lapse in authorities is as
short-lived as possible. On a matter
as critical as our national security, individual Senators must put
aside their partisan motivations and act swiftly. The American people
deserve nothing less.