freedom act

Chicago Congressional Reps. Divided on Bill to Block NSA Spying

A bit of local news—last week the US House of Representatives voted 255-174 in favor of a bill that would defund the National Security Agency’s (NSA) “backdoor spying” tactics on US citizens, and thereby mandate explicit warrants for any interception … Read more »

Forty Years of Resistance Against Government Surveillance—Remembering The Church Committee

In light of the recent passage of the USA FREEDOM Act, NPR revisited the earliest legislative efforts to reform government spy agencies and tactics this week with a brief radio segment on the Church Committee.

Listen to David Welna’s five … Read more »

Congress Passes USA Freedom Act, Takes Baby Steps In Surveillance Reform

At long last, Congress has slapped a band-aid on the bleeding wounds of the 4th Amendment. This week saw the passage of the USA Freedom Act to ostensibly replace the more egregious trappings of Section 215 of the USA Patriot … Read more »