Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement after Senate Republicans objected to Wyden’s request to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for five weeks, with basic new transparency requirements about warrantless government surveillance.
“Every day that Section 702 is in effect without reforms is a day that Americans’ rights are under threat,” Wyden said. “If there is going to be an extension of these authorities, there needs to be some guardrails or at least some transparency that would allow Congress and the American people to understand the abuses that have taken place and the need for reforms. My bill would not change surveillance powers at all. Republicans are apparently willing to let this key surveillance authority expire to continue their cover up of ongoing FISA abuses.”
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