The Constitution Project

Over 20 years defending rights, especially when threatened by the govt's nat sec and police powers. Now at the Project On Government Oversight (@POGOwatchdog).

[Project On Government Oversight @POGOwatchdog]

It's time for the law to catch up with technology.

Tell Congress to finally close the data broker loophole: https://t.co/ITcpOBWqqz

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

That binary choice talk is similar to what Rep. Himes claimed when 42 Dems tried to bail out Speaker Johnson & his fake reform bill.

That text was promptly thrown in the 🗑️ by the Senate.

It’s Congress. If you don’t think you can reform the laws you vote for why are you there?

[🙃 Jake Laperruque 🤔 @JakeLaperruque]

If Congress put the Lee-Durbin SAFE Act to reform and extend FISA 702 for several years on the floor, it would pass.

Claiming the only options are the GOP Leadership bill (which preserves the ripe-for-abuse status quo) or a sunset is simply a false choice.

[Jake Sherman @JakeSherman]

🚨NEW -- HAKEEM JEFFRIES SIGNALS DEMS WILL OPPOSE FISA

Here's JEFFRIES to me just now:

“FISA was already on life support in terms of Democratic support, and the decision to put a deeply unserious, dangerous and unqualified person like Bill Pulte into a position as the acting director of national intelligence is about to cause the plug to be pulled.”

FISA expires next week. Rs almost certainly do not have the votes without House Dems.

[🙃 Jake Laperruque 🤔 @JakeLaperruque]

Thune could put the Lee-Durbin SAFE Act to extend FISA on the floor today and it would pass. He’s refusing to do so - and letting the clock continue to tick down - because the White House won’t let him.

[Restore The 4th! @Restore_the4th]

With the new month, comes a new attempt by Republican leadership and President Trump to reauthorize FISA. We've received an advance copy, so let us tell you what's in the bill.

ARE. YOU. READYYY???

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

Does it:

Require a warrant if the gov wants your communications? ❌

Require a warrant if the gov wants to buy your location data? ❌❌

Give Congress a chance to weigh in if there are more abuses before the end of this admin? ❌❌❌

It’s another retread masquerading as reform.

[Jordain Carney @jordainc]

news: We obtained a copy of the Senate's 702 bill that's being circulated (but not yet publicly released)

-It extends the program through June 12, 2029
-mirrors the House in many of changes, including more transparency requirements and penalties for intelligence abuses
-includes a three-year CBDC ban
-also narrows electronic communications service provider, after bipartisan concerns when Congress previously expanded the definition

https://t.co/Nyy1BrL5kU

[Anthony Adragna @AnthonyAdragna]

.@RonWyden, senior Intelligence Committee member, says: "Bill Pulte’s appointment at ODNI is yet another reason that every single Democrat should refuse to reauthorize Section 702 without strong new safeguards for Americans’ rights.”

[Project On Government Oversight @POGOwatchdog]

Bill Pulte made a name for himself persecuting the administration's political enemies. He's the last person who should be in charge of our country's warrantless intelligence apparatus.

Congress can & must put real limits on FISA to protect your privacy. https://t.co/SXqQEgt0mi

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

How could Congress—which *still* doesn’t have the declassified FISA Court opinion the Senate committee of jurisdiction requested weeks ago—reauthorize FISA with no reforms w/ this acting DNI?

How would washing your hands of oversight for 3 more years not lead to more abuse? 2/2

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

The FBI is purchasing Americans’ data from data brokers.

DHS has tens of millions of dollars worth of contracts for surveillance technology and has targeted people across the political spectrum in recent years.

Who knows how AI tools may be involved.

Now it’s the ODNI. 1/2

[Meredith Lee Hill @meredithllee]

interesting timing for Trump to tap Pulte as acting DNI when Republicans and WH officials will need to convince a fair number of Senate Dems - and very likely a lot of House Dems - to vote for a FISA extension in just a few days

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

Congress cannot give a blank check for surveillance. Today’s news is the starkest illustration yet on the urgent need for Section 702 reform.

FISA has been abused by D & R admins, & putting this power in the hands of someone unconcerned with accountability will be disastrous.

[Andrew Desiderio @AndrewDesiderio]

Quite the statement from Sen. Warner, the top Dem on the Senate Intel Committee, about Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as acting DNI

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

Congress is **still** waiting for a declassified FISA Court opinion that Senate Intel leadership requested weeks ago. If the committee of jurisdiction can’t get answers on FISA, how will another retread of bad legislation change anything?

It’d be a blank check for surveillance.

[Jordain Carney @jordainc]

news w/ @johnnysaks130: Senate Intel Chair Tom Cotton is aiming to finalize text of a long-term 702 reauthorization as soon as Monday, per three people

Cotton has been talking with Warner and Johnson's team has been reviewing the text

BUT the deal still needs to be circulated and sold widely to Senate Rs + will need enough Ds to get 60 -- not to mention will have to be able to get through the House

https://t.co/s9w4BQDlMT

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

Out of control FBI planning to use ALPRs for surveillance? Yep.

Bipartisan support to stop that? ���

Committee vote on said bipartisan amendment? ✅

@RepRickLarsen support? ❌❌❌

You can’t be pro-privacy when you don’t do anything to rein in warrantless surveillance.

[Project On Government Oversight @POGOwatchdog]

POGO's @DonBellCT joined @michigan_public to talk gov't surveillance ⬇️

"As the intelligence agencies are collecting this communication from the person abroad, your friend or your relative, you have no idea that they're being swept up in surveillance." https://t.co/pJoN3V8QXU

[Elizabeth Goitein @LizaGoitein]

On Friday, the Trump administration, which is demanding that Congress pass a straight reauthorization of FISA Section 702, missed a deadline to declassify a FISA Court opinion that reportedly reveals yet more major Section 702 compliance problems. 1/14

[Adriano Espaillat @RepEspaillat]

‼️BIG WIN. In a stunning bipartisan vote, my amendment to BLOCK federal agencies from BUYING PERSONAL DATA has passed.

Once this measure is enshrined into law, agents will need a warrant or subpoena to get our private information. No more data broker loophole.

We fought this fight and won. Thank you @RepZoeLofgren @RonWyden, who authored the standalone legislation on this issue. Together our efforts are working to ensure your data are safe, secure, and protected.

[Project On Government Oversight @POGOwatchdog]

Big update in the FISA fight: the Senate rejected the House’s reauthorization approach and approved a short-term extension instead, forcing the House to follow suit.

We now have another 45 days to convince Congress to take REAL steps to protect YOUR constitutional rights.

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

Who knew it wasn’t a “binary choice” & that Congress—the branch that makes the law—could give itself all the time it needs to actually reform the laws it passes?? 🙄

Close the backdoor search loophole.

Close the data broker loophole.

If the gov’t wants our data: get a warrant.

[The Hill @thehill]

#BREAKING: Congress passes 45-day extension of nation's spy powers
https://t.co/mhvVZN4DYY

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

And if the ODNI and AG refuse to follow the law after a request from the heads of Senate Intelligence—members anyone would hardly describe as pro reform—it’ll tell us and members of Congress everything we need to know about how unaccountable the surveillance machine has become.

[David Dayen @ddayen]

Doesn't seem like a guarantee that ODNI and AG will declassify it

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

A Senator being told “there are going to be consequences” for trying to shed light on how the government is abusing its power tells you everything you need to know—the surveillance machine is out of control and Congress needs to rein it in NOW.

[The Constitution Project @ConPro]

We already know from public reporting that a judge objected to some of the tools agencies are using, & as @RonWyden notes—the law requires declassification of the ruling.

Why is it so dangerous for Americans to know how they’re potentially being spied on? What is there to hide?