Lankford Votes to End NSA Snooping on Americans

Press Release

Representative James Lankford (R-Okla) today voted in favor of H.R. 3361, the USA Freedom Act, a bill that would end the most egregious data collection efforts by the National Security Agency and other American security and intelligence organizations. The bill also creates a citizen advocate on the FISA court to ensure the preservation of Americans' Fourth Amendment rights is always the first priority in our security community's fight to prevent terrorist attacks. The USA Freedom Act passed the House in a vote of 303 to 121.

"This bill builds a high wall between innocent American citizens and a secretive federal surveillance and data collection program designed to protect us from foreign terrorism, but which could infringe Americans' Fourth Amendment rights," said Lankford.

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution clearly defines our rights against illegal search and seizure: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…"

"I take my oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States very seriously," continued Lankford. "My constituents asked me to take appropriate congressional action to ensure their Fourth Amendment rights are preserved; today's vote keeps that promise. Our intelligence community works tirelessly to protect us from constant cyber and physical terrorist threats from abroad, but we must work just as tirelessly to protect our freedoms. My vote in support of the USA Freedom Act today did just that."

The USA Freedom Act ends bulk data collection under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. The bill strengthens the existing prohibition on "reverse targeting" of American citizens. Reverse targeting is essentially targeting a foreigner in order to obtain communications involving American citizens. The bill requires the government to more aggressively filter and promptly discard Americans' information inadvertently gathered through data collection programs. The bill creates a citizen advocate on the FISA court, which Rep. Lankford called for even prior to the public outcry last summer against these programs. This bill also responsibly increases transparency by lifting the veil of secrecy on FISA court decisions and making them available to the public.

"I joined other conservative legislators and outraged Americans to ask for a proper, legal, straight-forward solution to the erosion of our constitutional rights. I am proud to support this bill, and I look forward to swift and complete consideration by the Senate and signature by the President to put these measures in place as quickly as possible," concluded Lankford.

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