Bowling Green Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is continuing his fight to protect Americans' civil liberties and push for reform to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). In an effort to remove the reauthorization of FISA from the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Dr. Paul forced a Senate vote on the matter. A bipartisan group of 34 senators joined him in voting to remove the reauthorization. However, the final vote tally fell short by six votes, leaving domestic spying authority intact.

Dr. Paul emphasized the importance of reforming Section 702, which allows the U.S. government to spy on U.S. citizens without a warrant. In his prepared remarks ahead of the vote, he stated, "So far as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows our government to spy on U.S. citizens without a warrant, it is unconstitutional."

He expressed disappointment that meaningful changes and reforms to FISA were not prioritized by Congress, despite the knowledge that Section 702 would expire at the end of the year. Dr. Paul argued that extending Section 702 into 2024 would prevent Congress from making necessary reforms in the future, allowing warrantless surveillance of Americans to continue.

Dr. Paul highlighted the intrusive nature of Section 702, explaining that Americans' communications content and metadata are collected and stored in government databases without a warrant. These communications can then be accessed by law enforcement agencies without a warrant, violating the Bill of Rights. He said, "Your texts, emails, and phone calls are collected and stored in a government database without a warrant and then searched by government law enforcement without a warrant."

During his speech, Dr. Paul challenged the notion that the government is the only shield from threats, reminding his colleagues that the government itself can pose a threat to civil liberties. He urged members of Congress to prioritize their constitutional duty and protect civil liberties by removing the extension of domestic spying authority from the defense bill.

To watch Dr. Paul's full floor remarks, click here [link].

Dr. Rand Paul's efforts to protect civil liberties and advocate for reform to Section 702 of FISA have gained bipartisan support in the Senate. Despite falling short in the vote, his determination to safeguard the privacy rights of Americans remains unwavering.