FISA Bill Falls Short on Security, Infringes on Liberties (Rep. Adrian Smith)

Yesterday, I opposed H.R. 3773, the RESTORE Act, because of serious flaws in the bill that would weaken the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a key tool of the Director of National Intelligence in the fight against terrorists.

This bill falls far short of giving our intelligence community what it needs to do its job — while at the same time infringing on our civil liberties by creating and maintaining a single database listing all Americans identified in foreign intelligence information. This act is flawed and would significantly damage the intelligence community’s ability to effectively protect us from foreign threats.

The bill also orders the creation and maintenance of a database listing all Americans who have been identified in foreign intelligence information regardless of whether or not they have been suspected as a terrorist or as a spy for a foreign power. The bill does not state how such records would be protected.

In the 30 years since Congress enacted FISA, telecommunications technology has dramatically changed. Instead of providing unprecedented constitutional protections to our sworn enemies as this bill does, Congress should focus on keeping the American people safe.