TargeT
25th March 2015, 14:18
I'll have to read the entire bill, but this could be a good thing (honestly I'm so jaded at this point my first instinct is that this will go no where, or it will make things worse) .
House effort would completely dismantle Patriot Act
A pair of House lawmakers wants to completely repeal the Patriot Act and other legal provisions to dramatically rein in American spying.
Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Tuesday unveiled their Surveillance State Repeal Act, which would overhaul American spying powers unlike any other effort to reform the National Security Agency.
“This isn’t just tinkering around the edges,” Pocan said during a Capitol Hill briefing on the legislation. “This is a meaningful overhaul of the system, getting rid of essentially all parameters of the Patriot Act.”
The bill would completely repeal the Patriot Act, the sweeping national security law passed in the days after Sept. 11, 2001, as well as the 2008 FISA Amendments Act, another spying law that the NSA has used to justify collecting vast swaths of people's communications through the Internet.
It would also reform the secretive court that oversees the nation’s spying powers, prevent the government from forcing tech companies to create “backdoors” into their devices and create additional protections for whistleblowers.“Really, what we need are new whistleblower protections so that the next Edward Snowden doesn’t have to go to Russia or Hong Kong or whatever the case may be just for disclosing this,” Massie said.
The bill is likely to be a nonstarter for leaders in Congress, who have been worried that even much milder reforms to the nation’s spying laws would tragically handicap the nation’s ability to fight terrorists. A similar bill was introduced in 2013 but failed to gain any movement in the House.
Yet advocates might be hoping that their firm opposition to government spying will seem more attractive in coming weeks, as lawmakers race to beat a June 1 deadline for reauthorizing portions of the Patriot Act.
Reformers have eyed that deadline as their last best chance for reforming some controversial NSA programs, after an effort failed in the Senate last year.
http://thehill.com/policy/technology/236769-house-effort-would-completely-dismantle-patriot-act
Seems pretty strait forward:
SUMMARY: Introduced in House (07/24/2013)
Surveillance State Repeal Act - Repeals the USA PATRIOT Act and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (thereby restoring or reviving provisions amended or repealed by such Acts as if such Acts had not been enacted), except with respect to reports to Congress regarding court orders under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) and the acquisition of intelligence information concerning an entity not substantially composed of U.S. persons that is engaged in the international proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Extends from 7 to 10 years the maximum term of FISA judges. Makes such judges eligible for redesignation.
Permits FISA courts to appoint special masters to advise on technical issues raised during proceedings.
Requires orders approving certain electronic surveillance to direct that, upon request of the applicant, any person or entity must furnish all information, facilities, or technical assistance necessary to accomplish such surveillance in a manner to protect its secrecy and produce a minimum of interference with the services that such carrier, landlord, custodian, or other person is providing the target of such surveillance (thereby retaining the ability to conduct surveillance on such targets regardless of the type of communications methods or devices being used by the subject of the surveillance).
Prohibits information relating to a U.S. person from being acquired pursuant to FISA without a valid warrant based on probable cause.
Prohibits the federal government from requiring manufacturers of electronic devices and related software to build in mechanisms allowing the federal government to bypass encryption or privacy technology.
Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to report annually on the federal government's compliance with FISA.
Permits an employee of or contractor to an element of the intelligence community with knowledge of FISA-authorized programs and activities to submit a covered complaint to the Comptroller General, to the House or Senate intelligence committees, or in accordance with a process under the National Security Act of 1947 with respect to reports made to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community. Defines a "covered complaint" as a complaint or information concerning FISA-authorized programs and activities that an employee or contractor reasonably believes is evidence of: (1) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or (2) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. Subjects an officer or employee of an element of the intelligence community to administrative sanctions, including termination, for taking retaliatory action against an employee or contractor who seeks to disclose, or who discloses, such information.
Congress.gov
Bill TEXT:
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2818
To repeal the USA PATRIOT Act and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 24, 2013
Mr. Holt introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Select Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and the Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To repeal the USA PATRIOT Act and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the “Surveillance State Repeal Act”.
SEC. 2. Repeal of USA PATRIOT Act.
The USA PATRIOT Act (Public Law 107–56) is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such Act are restored or revived as if such Act had not been enacted.
SEC. 3. Repeal of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008.
(a) Repeal.—The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–261; 122 Stat. 2477) is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such Act are restored or revived as if such Act had not been enacted.
(b) Exception.—Subsection (a) of this Act shall not apply to sections 103 and 110 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–261; 122 Stat. 2477).
SEC. 4. Terms of judges on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court; reappointment; Special Masters.
(a) Terms; reappointment.—Section 103(d) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1803(d)) is amended—
(1) by striking “maximum of seven” and inserting “maximum of ten”; and
(2) by striking “and shall not be eligible for redesignation”.
(b) Special Masters.—Section 103(f) of such Act, as amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(4) Special Masters.—
“(A) The courts established pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) may appoint one or more Special Masters to advise the courts on technical issues raised during proceedings before the courts.
“(B) In this paragraph, the term ‘Special Master’ means an individual who has technological expertise in the subject matter of a proceeding before a court established pursuant to subsection (a) or (b).”.
SEC. 5. Electronic surveillance of specified persons without regard to specific device.
Section 105(c)(2)(B) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1805(c)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
“(B) that, upon the request of the applicant, any person or entity shall furnish the applicant forthwith all information, facilities, or technical assistance necessary to accomplish the electronic surveillance in such a manner as will protect its secrecy and produce a minimum of interference with the services that such carrier, landlord, custodian, or other person is providing that target of electronic surveillance;”.
SEC. 6. Additional provisions for collections under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.
(a) In general.—Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), as amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended to read as follows:
“TITLE VII—Additional Provisions
“SEC. 701. Warrant requirement.
“Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no information relating to a United States person may be acquired pursuant to this Act without a valid warrant based on probable cause.”.
(b) Table of contents amendments.—The table of contents in the first section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), as amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended by striking the items relating to title VII and section 701 and inserting the following new items:
“TITLE VII—ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS”.
“701. Warrant requirement.”.
SEC. 7. Encryption and privacy technology of electronic devices and software.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Government shall not mandate that the manufacturer of an electronic device or software for an electronic device build into such device or software a mechanism that allows the Federal Government to bypass the encryption or privacy technology of such device or software.
SEC. 8. GAO compliance evaluations.
(a) In general.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall annually evaluate compliance by the Federal Government with the provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
(b) Report.—The Comptroller General shall annually submit to Congress a report containing the results of the evaluation conducted under subsection (a).
SEC. 9. Whistleblower complaints.
(a) Authorization To report complaints or information.—An employee of or contractor to an element of the intelligence community that has knowledge of the programs and activities authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) may submit a covered complaint—
(1) to the Comptroller General of the United States;
(2) to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives;
(3) to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; or
(4) in accordance with the process established under section 103H(k)(5) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3033(k)(5)).
(b) Investigations and reports to Congress.—The Comptroller General shall investigate a covered complaint submitted pursuant to subsection (b)(1) and shall submit to Congress a report containing the results of the investigation.
(c) Covered complaint defined.—In this section, the term “covered complaint” means a complaint or information concerning programs and activities authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) that an employee or contractor reasonably believes is evidence of—
(1) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or
(2) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
SEC. 10. Prohibition on interference with reporting of waste, fraud, abuse, or criminal behavior.
(a) In general.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an officer or employee of an element of the intelligence community shall be subject to administrative sanctions, up to and including termination, for taking retaliatory action against an employee of or contractor to an element of the intelligence community who seeks to disclose or discloses covered information to—
(1) the Comptroller General;
(2) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives;
(3) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; or
(4) the Office of the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community.
(b) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) COVERED INFORMATION.—The term “covered information” means any information (including classified or sensitive information) that an employee or contractor reasonably believes is evidence of—
(A) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or
(B) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
(2) INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.—The term “intelligence community” has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003).
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/2818
House effort would completely dismantle Patriot Act
A pair of House lawmakers wants to completely repeal the Patriot Act and other legal provisions to dramatically rein in American spying.
Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on Tuesday unveiled their Surveillance State Repeal Act, which would overhaul American spying powers unlike any other effort to reform the National Security Agency.
“This isn’t just tinkering around the edges,” Pocan said during a Capitol Hill briefing on the legislation. “This is a meaningful overhaul of the system, getting rid of essentially all parameters of the Patriot Act.”
The bill would completely repeal the Patriot Act, the sweeping national security law passed in the days after Sept. 11, 2001, as well as the 2008 FISA Amendments Act, another spying law that the NSA has used to justify collecting vast swaths of people's communications through the Internet.
It would also reform the secretive court that oversees the nation’s spying powers, prevent the government from forcing tech companies to create “backdoors” into their devices and create additional protections for whistleblowers.“Really, what we need are new whistleblower protections so that the next Edward Snowden doesn’t have to go to Russia or Hong Kong or whatever the case may be just for disclosing this,” Massie said.
The bill is likely to be a nonstarter for leaders in Congress, who have been worried that even much milder reforms to the nation’s spying laws would tragically handicap the nation’s ability to fight terrorists. A similar bill was introduced in 2013 but failed to gain any movement in the House.
Yet advocates might be hoping that their firm opposition to government spying will seem more attractive in coming weeks, as lawmakers race to beat a June 1 deadline for reauthorizing portions of the Patriot Act.
Reformers have eyed that deadline as their last best chance for reforming some controversial NSA programs, after an effort failed in the Senate last year.
http://thehill.com/policy/technology/236769-house-effort-would-completely-dismantle-patriot-act
Seems pretty strait forward:
SUMMARY: Introduced in House (07/24/2013)
Surveillance State Repeal Act - Repeals the USA PATRIOT Act and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (thereby restoring or reviving provisions amended or repealed by such Acts as if such Acts had not been enacted), except with respect to reports to Congress regarding court orders under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) and the acquisition of intelligence information concerning an entity not substantially composed of U.S. persons that is engaged in the international proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Extends from 7 to 10 years the maximum term of FISA judges. Makes such judges eligible for redesignation.
Permits FISA courts to appoint special masters to advise on technical issues raised during proceedings.
Requires orders approving certain electronic surveillance to direct that, upon request of the applicant, any person or entity must furnish all information, facilities, or technical assistance necessary to accomplish such surveillance in a manner to protect its secrecy and produce a minimum of interference with the services that such carrier, landlord, custodian, or other person is providing the target of such surveillance (thereby retaining the ability to conduct surveillance on such targets regardless of the type of communications methods or devices being used by the subject of the surveillance).
Prohibits information relating to a U.S. person from being acquired pursuant to FISA without a valid warrant based on probable cause.
Prohibits the federal government from requiring manufacturers of electronic devices and related software to build in mechanisms allowing the federal government to bypass encryption or privacy technology.
Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to report annually on the federal government's compliance with FISA.
Permits an employee of or contractor to an element of the intelligence community with knowledge of FISA-authorized programs and activities to submit a covered complaint to the Comptroller General, to the House or Senate intelligence committees, or in accordance with a process under the National Security Act of 1947 with respect to reports made to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community. Defines a "covered complaint" as a complaint or information concerning FISA-authorized programs and activities that an employee or contractor reasonably believes is evidence of: (1) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or (2) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. Subjects an officer or employee of an element of the intelligence community to administrative sanctions, including termination, for taking retaliatory action against an employee or contractor who seeks to disclose, or who discloses, such information.
Congress.gov
Bill TEXT:
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2818
To repeal the USA PATRIOT Act and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 24, 2013
Mr. Holt introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Select Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and the Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To repeal the USA PATRIOT Act and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the “Surveillance State Repeal Act”.
SEC. 2. Repeal of USA PATRIOT Act.
The USA PATRIOT Act (Public Law 107–56) is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such Act are restored or revived as if such Act had not been enacted.
SEC. 3. Repeal of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008.
(a) Repeal.—The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–261; 122 Stat. 2477) is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such Act are restored or revived as if such Act had not been enacted.
(b) Exception.—Subsection (a) of this Act shall not apply to sections 103 and 110 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–261; 122 Stat. 2477).
SEC. 4. Terms of judges on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court; reappointment; Special Masters.
(a) Terms; reappointment.—Section 103(d) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1803(d)) is amended—
(1) by striking “maximum of seven” and inserting “maximum of ten”; and
(2) by striking “and shall not be eligible for redesignation”.
(b) Special Masters.—Section 103(f) of such Act, as amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(4) Special Masters.—
“(A) The courts established pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) may appoint one or more Special Masters to advise the courts on technical issues raised during proceedings before the courts.
“(B) In this paragraph, the term ‘Special Master’ means an individual who has technological expertise in the subject matter of a proceeding before a court established pursuant to subsection (a) or (b).”.
SEC. 5. Electronic surveillance of specified persons without regard to specific device.
Section 105(c)(2)(B) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1805(c)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
“(B) that, upon the request of the applicant, any person or entity shall furnish the applicant forthwith all information, facilities, or technical assistance necessary to accomplish the electronic surveillance in such a manner as will protect its secrecy and produce a minimum of interference with the services that such carrier, landlord, custodian, or other person is providing that target of electronic surveillance;”.
SEC. 6. Additional provisions for collections under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.
(a) In general.—Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), as amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended to read as follows:
“TITLE VII—Additional Provisions
“SEC. 701. Warrant requirement.
“Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no information relating to a United States person may be acquired pursuant to this Act without a valid warrant based on probable cause.”.
(b) Table of contents amendments.—The table of contents in the first section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), as amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended by striking the items relating to title VII and section 701 and inserting the following new items:
“TITLE VII—ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS”.
“701. Warrant requirement.”.
SEC. 7. Encryption and privacy technology of electronic devices and software.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Government shall not mandate that the manufacturer of an electronic device or software for an electronic device build into such device or software a mechanism that allows the Federal Government to bypass the encryption or privacy technology of such device or software.
SEC. 8. GAO compliance evaluations.
(a) In general.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall annually evaluate compliance by the Federal Government with the provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
(b) Report.—The Comptroller General shall annually submit to Congress a report containing the results of the evaluation conducted under subsection (a).
SEC. 9. Whistleblower complaints.
(a) Authorization To report complaints or information.—An employee of or contractor to an element of the intelligence community that has knowledge of the programs and activities authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) may submit a covered complaint—
(1) to the Comptroller General of the United States;
(2) to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives;
(3) to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; or
(4) in accordance with the process established under section 103H(k)(5) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3033(k)(5)).
(b) Investigations and reports to Congress.—The Comptroller General shall investigate a covered complaint submitted pursuant to subsection (b)(1) and shall submit to Congress a report containing the results of the investigation.
(c) Covered complaint defined.—In this section, the term “covered complaint” means a complaint or information concerning programs and activities authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) that an employee or contractor reasonably believes is evidence of—
(1) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or
(2) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
SEC. 10. Prohibition on interference with reporting of waste, fraud, abuse, or criminal behavior.
(a) In general.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an officer or employee of an element of the intelligence community shall be subject to administrative sanctions, up to and including termination, for taking retaliatory action against an employee of or contractor to an element of the intelligence community who seeks to disclose or discloses covered information to—
(1) the Comptroller General;
(2) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives;
(3) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; or
(4) the Office of the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community.
(b) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) COVERED INFORMATION.—The term “covered information” means any information (including classified or sensitive information) that an employee or contractor reasonably believes is evidence of—
(A) a violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or
(B) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
(2) INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.—The term “intelligence community” has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003).
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/2818