patriot act

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 »

Will The Senate Allow The Patriot Act To Simply Expire?

Judgment day approaches for Section 215 of the Patriot Act and the US government’s current mass surveillance program.

Last Saturday morning, the Senate refused to extend the draconian piece of legislation and couldn’t summon the necessary majority to impose a … Read more »

Patriot Act Gets the Filibuster Treatment from Sen. Rand Paul

With the Patriot Act due to expire at the end of the month, Rand Paul took the Senate floor this afternoon to speak at length on why the Senate should let it go gently into that good night.

While other … Read more »

NSA’s Mass Phone Surveillance Ruled Illegal

We already knew the National Security Agency’s (NSA) program to collect telephone metadata was unconstitutional. Now we know it’s illegal too.

Last week, a panel of three judges from the US Court of Appeals second circuit overturned a prior ruling … Read more »

Congress Faces Patriot Act Decision

On June 1st, one of the Patriot Act’s more indefensible components—Section 215—is due to expire. The only thing that can save it is an affirmative vote by both houses of Congress for its reauthorization.

In 2013, whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed … Read more »