LNS Co-Director Elizabeth Goitein testified before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, in a hearing entitled “Oversight and Reauthorization of the FISA Amendments Act: The Balance between National Security, Privacy and Civil Liberties” on May 10, 2016. The FISA Amendments Act, which allows the NSA to collect communications between foreign targets and Americans without case-by-case judicial authorization or review, will expire in 2017 unless it is reauthorized. This hearing provides an opportunity for the Committee to consider options to reform the program to conform with the Constitution.
The Brennan Center testimony builds on research in the Brennan Center report “What Went Wrong with the FISA Court.” The testimony explains that Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act created a massive expansion in government surveillance. Surveillance under this program presents deep Fourth Amendment concerns and presents significant risks and harms. The Brennan Center testimony urges greater transparency on how Section 702 governs intelligence collection and how many Americans’ communications are collected under the program. This information will allow the American public and lawmakers to evaluate the program and consider options for reform.
Read the full testimony here.
Watch video of Elizabeth Goitein’s testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee here.
Testimony: Oversight and Reauthorization of the FISA Amendment Act by The Brennan Center for Justice