Paul vows to end NSA program if elected

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said he would end the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records on his first day in the White House if he is elected. 

“The president created this vast dragnet by executive order. And as president on day one, I would immediately end this unconstitutional surveillance,” he said in a Kentucky speech Tuesday announcing his presidential bid. 

{mosads}Paul becomes the second major candidate, in addition to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to enter the race. 

Paul has been one of the most vocal critics of the NSA surveillance program that collects American records on phone numbers dialed, call lengths and call times. The program, made public by leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden does not, however, collect the content of calls. 

Paul has split with most of his party over the issue, even Cruz who has also pushed for reform. Paul has rankled some NSA reform advocates by opposing a bill to end the program because he does not believe it goes far enough to dismantle the authorizing authority.  

He has filed a lawsuit against the government over the program and has promised not to vote to renew sections of the Patriot Act that authorize the program and are up for renewal in June. 

The Kentucky senator dusted off an old line in the speech Tuesday, saying the phone records of law-abiding Americans should stay private. 

“Warrantless searches of Americans phone and computer records are un-American and a threat to our civil liberties. I say that your phone records are yours. I say that phone records of law abiding citizens are none of their damn business,” he said, later joking “is this where we light up the phones?”

“I believe we can have liberty and security, and I will not compromise your liberty for a false sense of security,” he added later.  

President Obama has advocated for ending the government’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records as well, but he has resisted ending it unilaterally.  

The courts renew the current program every 90 days. Advocates have called on the administration to end it by simply declining to have it renewed.

But Obama has resisted taking this route, calling on Congress to act.