USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020

Bill to Protect Americans from Unlawful Surveillance Passes House

Key Points of the Bill

The USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 (H.R. 6172) is a bipartisan bill that reauthorizes key provisions of the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015, which aimed to reform and improve government surveillance programs. The bill passed the House of Representatives on March 11, 2020, and is currently under consideration in the Senate.

One of the most significant provisions of the bill is the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Section 702 allows the government to collect communications of non-U.S. persons located outside the United States without a warrant, provided that the collection is reasonably likely to acquire foreign intelligence information. The bill strengthens protections for U.S. persons by requiring the government to minimize the collection of their communications and by prohibiting the targeting of U.S. persons without a warrant.

The bill also includes a number of other provisions to improve government surveillance practices. These provisions include:

• Requiring the government to disclose more information about its surveillance activities to Congress and the public.
• Establishing a new Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board to review government surveillance programs.
• Prohibiting the government from using surveillance information to create a database of Americans' political or religious beliefs.

Importance of the Bill

The USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 is an important piece of legislation that will help to protect Americans from unlawful surveillance. The bill reauthorizes key provisions of the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015, which have been instrumental in reforming and improving government surveillance programs. The bill also includes a number of new provisions to further strengthen protections for U.S. persons.

The passage of the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 is a victory for privacy rights and civil liberties. The bill will help to ensure that the government's surveillance powers are used only for legitimate purposes and that Americans are protected from unlawful surveillance.