CDT’s Harley Geiger Testifies on USA FREEDOM Act
Today, CDT’s Senior Counsel Harley Geiger testifies before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence about the USA FREEDOM Act (HR 3361). Harley’s testimony is now available online.
In his testimony, Harley stressed that there is near consensus that the government’s bulk collection of phone records and emails to, from and within the United States is both intrusive and unnecessary. He encouraged the Senate to shore up weaknesses in the USA FREEDOM Act and pass legislation that would significantly advance the privacy interests of Americans while protecting national security.
Specific improvements to the USA FREEDOM Act that Harley called for included:
- Narrow and clarify the definition of “specific selection term;”
- Strengthen the existing minimization procedure;
- Reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court; and
- Strengthen transparency provisions.
Beyond the USA FREEDOM Act, Harley also called on the Senate to limit the scope of surveillance under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Harley’s full comments are available here.
