A bill to amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, and for other purposes.

SI-generated grade · five published checks · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology

This reauthorization continues a surveillance regime that permits warrantless backdoor searches of Americans' communications, violating the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. While foreign intelligence gathering falls within federal authority, the inclusion of U.S. persons' communications without individualized probable cause and without a warrant fails the standards of individual sovereignty and due process.

• ✓ Passes · Enumerated powers
  Congress has authority under Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 (the Necessary and Proper Clause) and Article II, Section 2 (Commander-in-Chief) to provide for national defense and foreign intelligence collection. The extension of Title VII of FISA falls within the federal government's enumerated powers over foreign affairs and national security.
• ✗ Concern · Bill of Rights
  The Fourth Amendment protects the right of the people to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures. Section 702 as extended allows the government to acquire communications of non-U.S. persons abroad, but it also permits incidental collection and subsequent querying of U.S. persons' communications without a warrant or probable cause. These backdoor searches violate the Fourth Amendment's…
• ✗ Concern · Individual sovereignty
  Individuals have a sovereign right to be free from government intrusion into their private communications without due cause. The bill extends mass surveillance machinery that captures and queries the communications of Americans, chilling free expression and private association. The government has not met the heavy burden required to justify this warrantless intrusion into the lives of U.S. persons…
• ✓ Passes · Decentralization
  Foreign intelligence surveillance is an inherent federal responsibility. It cannot be performed by individuals, local communities, or states without chaos and inconsistency. The federal government is the minimum necessary level to conduct such operations, so the law does not needlessly consolidate power upward.
• ✗ Concern · Due process and takings
  The Fifth Amendment guarantees due process of law. The secret court framework and lack of notice to Americans whose communications are searched deprive them of any meaningful opportunity to contest the government's use of their private information. While the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court exists, it does not operate as an adversarial process with respect to U.S. persons, and the takings c…

Sources: Congress.gov: S 4465 summary