'Abused Hundreds Of Thousands Of Times': Thomas Massie Decries Intelligence Communities Use Of FISA

6 months ago

During debate on the House floor, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) urged support for a rule that would allow for major reforms to FISA.

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Transcript

00:00 We're here today to pass a rule that will bring up a program for a vote that's been

00:08 abused hundreds of thousands of times.

00:12 Abused by the FBI's own standards hundreds of thousands of times.

00:16 But every time they've used it, they've actually abused it because they have not followed the

00:21 constitutional requirement in the Fourth Amendment.

00:25 Today, if we pass this rule, we'll have votes on six different amendments.

00:30 Three of these amendments will expand the program and three of these amendments will

00:34 constrain the program.

00:37 There are people who say, "Oh, this bill is fine as is.

00:41 Doesn't need any amendments."

00:44 But here's the problem with that.

00:49 If we believed that, why would we put exemptions for Congress in this bill?

00:55 There are exemptions for Congress in the base bill of 702.

00:59 What do they do?

01:00 They say that if a congressman is going to have their privacy violated with the 702 program

01:06 by the FBI, the FBI has to notify Congress.

01:11 It goes on to say in this bill that if the FBI is going to tell us that they're doing

01:16 it for our own good, they have to get permission from the congressman whose privacy is going

01:21 to be violated.

01:23 Why does that only apply to members of this body?

01:28 The Constitution provides that we should give these protections to everybody.

01:33 The Constitution requires a warrant.

01:35 That's one of the amendments that will be offered here today.

01:37 In fact, the chairman and the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, which is the committee

01:43 of jurisdiction for this legislation, which is the committee that many years ago created

01:49 the 702 program, the chairman and ranking member have said that if the warrant provision

01:54 is not adopted, they will not vote to renew this program.

01:58 And I applaud them for taking that stand.

02:01 Because the Fourth Amendment to our Constitution says the right of the people to be secure

02:05 in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures

02:11 shall not be violated and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause supported by

02:16 oath or affirmation, in particular describing the place to be searched or the person or

02:22 things to be seized.

02:24 The FISA 702 program is clearly in violation of the Fourth Amendment.

02:30 We can fix it for the most part with one amendment.

02:34 There will still be other defects in the FISA program.

02:38 And I will just close by saying this.

02:42 America is watching us today.

02:46 They are going to watch the results of this vote.

02:49 What will we do here today?

02:50 Are we going to carve out exemptions for Congress?

02:54 Are we going to protect ourselves but not the American people?

02:57 Or are we going to provide them with the protections that our founding fathers enshrined in our

03:02 Constitution?

03:04 We swore an oath to do that when we took these offices as legislators.

03:09 And we need to follow that oath.

03:10 And that's why I urge adoption of this rule.

03:14 I urge people to vote for the warrant amendment.

03:18 And I urge people not to vote for the final bill if the protections of the warrant amendment

03:23 are not there.

03:24 And with that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and move the previous question

03:29 on the resolution.

'Abused Hundreds Of Thousands Of Times': Thomas Massie Decries Intelligence Communities Use Of FISA

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