Bowling Green Today

In a recent move to safeguard the civil liberties of Americans, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has called on the Senate to remove the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) from the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Dr. Paul, along with a bipartisan group of 34 senators, pushed for the removal of FISA in order to prevent the U.S. government from spying on its own citizens without a warrant.

During the Senate vote, Dr. Paul emphasized the unconstitutionality of FISA, stating, "So far as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows our government to spy on U.S. citizens without a warrant, it is unconstitutional." He also expressed disappointment in the lack of meaningful reform to Section 702 of FISA, which was set to expire at the end of the year.

Dr. Paul pointed out that the expiration of Section 702 presented an opportunity for Congress to make necessary changes and better protect Americans' civil liberties. However, he noted that the extension of Section 702 into 2024 would prevent Congress from addressing these concerns in the near future. This extension would allow for warrantless surveillance of Americans, violating their rights as outlined in the Bill of Rights.

The senator highlighted the implications of Section 702, explaining, "Using 702, Americans’ communications content and metadata is inevitably swept up and kept in government databases without a warrant." He further added, "Law enforcement agencies then access Americans’ communications without a warrant." This practice of collecting and storing citizens' texts, emails, and phone calls without proper authorization raises serious concerns about privacy and due process.

Dr. Paul urged his fellow senators to prioritize the protection of civil liberties and the integrity of the congressional conference committee process. He emphasized the need to remove the extension of domestic spying authority from the defense bill and uphold their oath to the Constitution.

As of the vote, the effort to remove the reauthorization of FISA from the NDAA fell short by six votes, with a final tally of 35-65. Despite this setback, Dr. Paul's fight to protect Americans' civil liberties continues.

For more information, you can watch Dr. Paul's full floor remarks on the issue. This move by Senator Rand Paul reflects his ongoing commitment to defending the rights of American citizens and advocating for necessary reforms to protect civil liberties.

Click this link to access more information: https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-fights-to-protect-civil-liberties-calls-on-senate-to-remove-domestic-spying-authority-in-ndaa/