congress
Civil Libertarians Forewarn of Breathtaking Surveillance Expansion to Combat COVID-19
A new article by The Washington Post notes a mounting fear among civil liberties defenders that the US government could take steps to establish or expand surveillance programs as a means of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Although neither members of … Read more »
Senate Democrats Formally Request Vote to Overrule FCC Termination of Net Neutrality
Ars Technica reports that Senate Democrats have officially moved to initiate a vote on a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the FCC policy change ending net neutrality regulations. With the submission of a request to invoke the CRA, the … Read more »
Announcement: CCDBR is Holding a Team Internet-Aligned Demonstration for Net Neutrality
Although the struggle for civil liberties is never truly and permanently at an end, the emergence of the internet as a fact of 21st century existence opens up a new front in the battle for fundamental freedoms, most prominently those … Read more »
Republicans and Dozens of Democrats in House Reauthorize Mass Surveillance Without Reform
A new piece from The Intercept reports that, in a vote of 256 to 164, the US House of Representatives approved a renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Section 702 provisions, forcing a vote in the Senate. Extending … Read more »
Press: In Light of FCC Vote, CCDBR and Allies Will Step Up the Fight for Free and Open Internet
CHICAGO — On Sunday, December 10, 2017, the Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights, in partnership with the Electronic Frontier Alliance, held an open forum to discuss the impact of the impending Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) vote to … Read more »
Announcement: CCDBR to Host Net Neutrality Forum Ahead of FCC Vote
In light of the considerable impact that the impending FCC vote to reverse its classification of internet service providers (ISPs) as common carriers will have on ordinary Chicago residents and Americans across the country, the Chicago Committee to Defend the … Read more »
US House Passes Measure Blocking Justice Department’s Resumption of Civil Forfeiture Loophole
A new piece from The Intercept reports that the US House of Representatives by a 211-198 vote has adopted language which would nullify the Department of Justice policy resuming federal civil forfeiture practices under the Equitable Sharing Program. The appropriations bill’s … Read more »
Activists Prepare to Stage Massive Push for Net Neutrality in Washington DC
A new piece from The Guardian reports that a coalition of internet freedom and digital rights activists have planned a massive two-day demonstration to compel the federal government to enshrine net neutrality principles in the regulation of the internet. The … Read more »
Bipartisan Congressional Bill Threatens to Criminalize Peaceful Pro-Palestine Speech
UPDATE (9/7/17): A piece out last week from Portside reports that Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois’s 1st District has added his name to the growing list of Congress members who have rescinded their initial support for the Israel Anti-Boycott Act… Read more »
Time To Permanently Ban Torture—Write Your Representative!
In June, the Senate passed the McCain-Feinstein amendment prohibiting CIA torture with a bipartisan 78-21 vote. The provision requires that the CIA and other government agencies follow the flawed but relatively humane guidelines in the Army Field Manual while conducting … Read more »
