Senate Set to Unveil Major NSA Reform Bill
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy is poised to introduce a robust version of the USA FREEDOM Act (UFA)—a significant upgrade over the watered-down legislation passed by the House earlier this year.
What the Bill Proposes
According to The New York Times, the Senate bill includes critical reforms:
- Ends bulk collection of Americans’ call metadata—the controversial program first exposed by Edward Snowden.
- Overhauls the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) by adding a public advocate to counter government arguments.
- Mandates transparency by requiring partial disclosure of FISC rulings.
- Narrows the scope of government requests for telecom metadata.
However, the bill reportedly leaves “backdoor searches” of Americans’ communications untouched—a loophole still exploited by intelligence agencies like the FBI and CIA.
How It Compares to the House Version
The House-passed bill, rushed through after severe dilution, was widely criticized. Half its original co-sponsors even voted against it, rendering it ineffective as true reform. In contrast, Leahy’s Senate proposal:
- Closes the telephony metadata program definitively.
- Addresses broader concerns about bulk data collection—though experts argue more must be done to rein in programs like PRISM and fiber-optic surveillance.
Challenges Ahead
While the Senate bill marks progress, hurdles remain:
- House Approval: Even if the Senate passes the bill, the House must reconcile its weaker version.
- Unaddressed Loopholes: Backdoor searches and other NSA tools remain operational.
Why This Matters
As The New York Times notes:
“The bill represents a breakthrough in the struggle against the growth of government surveillance power.”
Yet, the fight isn’t over. The Senate’s collaboration with the executive branch may ease House negotiations, but vigilance is key to ensuring reforms aren’t diluted further.
What’s Next? The full text will reveal the bill’s true impact—stay tuned for updates.
Image Credit: Zoe Rudisill via CC BY 2.0
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