Goodlatte, Conyers, Sensenbrenner, Scott, Nadler, and Forbes Applaud House Passage of the USA Freedom Act

Press Release

The House of Representatives today approved by a vote of 302-121 the USA Freedom Act (H.R. 3361), a bipartisan bill authored by Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) that ends bulk collection of data by the government and reforms our nation's intelligence-gathering programs operated under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

For nearly a year, the House Judiciary Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over intelligence-gathering programs operated under FISA, has studied the scope of these programs in detail. The Committee has held three hearings on this issue and has worked with civil liberties advocates, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, House leaders, and the Obama Administration to reach the bipartisan solution approved by the House today. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.), Crime Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), and Congressman Randy Forbes (R-Va.) -- key lawmakers who brought this bill to fruition -- praised today's strong vote in the House of Representatives in the joint statement below.

"Today's strong, bipartisan vote by the House of Representatives on the USA Freedom Act will help protect our cherished individual liberties as the federal government carries out its duty to keep our nation safe from foreign enemies. The USA Freedom Act safeguards Americans' civil liberties by ending domestic bulk collection once and for all and increases the oversight and transparency of these intelligence-gathering programs so that we can begin to rebuild trust with the American people.

"With today's vote, the House approved the first significant rollback of government surveillance since the passage of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 1978. While this is not a perfect bill, the USA Freedom Act is an important step in the right direction. We thank our staff, House leaders, and President Obama and his Administration for working tirelessly with us to reach this bipartisan solution that protects both national security and Americans' privacy. We urge the Senate to move expeditiously on the USA Freedom Act so that our nation's intelligence-gathering programs are operated in a manner that honors our country's legacy of both providing for the common defense and securing the blessings of liberty."