USA FREEDOM ACT

BILL STATUS
ON MAY 13, 2015, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OVERWHELMINGLYPASSED
(HTTPS://JUDICIARY.HOUSE.GOV/PRESSRELEASE/GOODLATTE-CONYERS-SENSENBRENNERNADLER-PRAISE-HOUSE-PASSAGE-OF-USA-FREEDOMACT/) THE USA FREEDOM ACT BY A VOTE OF 338-88.
ON JUNE 2, 2015, THE SENATE PASSED
(HTTPS://JUDICIARY.HOUSE.GOV/PRESSRELEASE/GOODLATTE-CONYERS-SENSENBRENNERNADLER-APPLAUD-CLEAN-PASSAGE-OF-THE-USAFREEDOM-ACT-IN-THE-SENATE/) THE USA FREEDOM ACT
WITHOUT AMENDMENT BY A VOTE OF 67-32.

PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNED INTO LAW

(HTTPS://WWW.WHITEHOUSE.GOV/THEPRESS-OFFICE/2015/06/02/STATEMENTPRESS-SECRETARY-HR-2048) THE USA
FREEDOM ACT ON JUNE 2, 2015
PROTECTS CIVIL LIBERTIES
Ends bulk collection: Prohibits bulk collection of ALL records under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, the FISA
pen register authority, and national security letter statutes.

Prevents government overreach: The bulk collection prohibition is strengthened by prohibiting large-scale,
indiscriminate collection, such as all records from an entire state, city, or zip code.
Allows challenges of national security letter gag orders: NSL nondisclosure orders must be based upon a danger
to national security or interference with an investigation. Codi es procedures for individual companies to
challenge nondisclosure orders. Requires periodic review of nondisclosure orders to determine necessity.

IMPROVES TRANSPARENCY AND BETTER INFORMATIONSHARING WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Expertise at the FISA court: The bill creates a panel of amicus curie at the FISA court to provide guidance on
matters of privacy and civil liberties, communications technology, and other technical or legal matters.
Declassi ed FISA opinions: All signi cant constructions or interpretations of law by the FISA court must be
made public. These include all signi cant interpretations of the de nition of speci c selection term, the concept
at the heart of the ban on bulk collection.
Robust government reporting: All signi cant constructions or interpretations of law by the FISA court must be
made public. These include all signi cant interpretations of the de nition of speci c selection term, the concept
at the heart of the ban on bulk collection.
Robust company reporting: Tech companies will have a range of options for describing how they respond to
national security orders, all consistent with national security needs.

STRENGTHENS NATIONAL SECURITY

Gives the government the tools it needs: Creates a new call detail records program that is closely overseen by
the FISA court.
Contains an additional tool to combat ISIL: The bill closes a loophole in current law that requires the
government to stop tracking foreign terrorists when they enter the U.S. This provision gives the government 72
hours to track foreign terrorists when they initially enter the United States (it does not apply to U.S. persons)
enough time for the government to obtain the proper authority under U.S. law.
Increases the statutory maximum prison sentence to 20 years for providing material support or resources to a
designated foreign terrorist organization.
Protects United States maritime activities from nuclear threats, weapons of mass destruction, and other threats
by implementing the obligations of various treaties to which the United States is a party.
Enhances investigations of international proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Provides strictly limited emergency authorities: Creates new procedures for the emergency use of Section 215
but requires the government to destroy the information it collects if a FISA court application is denied.

Press Statements

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

Goodlatte, Conyers, Sensenbrenner, Nadler Statement on Implementation of the USA Freedom Act

(https://judiciary.house.gov/press-release/goodlatte-conyers-sensenbrenner-nadler-statement-on-implementation-of-the-usafreedom-act/)

JUNE 2, 2015
Goodlatte, Conyers, Sensenbrenner, Nadler Applaud Clean Passage of the USA Freedom Act in the Senate

(https://judiciary.house.gov/press-release/goodlatte-conyers-sensenbrenner-nadler-applaud-clean-passage-of-the-usa-freedom-act-inthe-senate/)

JUNE 1, 2015
Goodlatte, Conyers, Sensenbrenner, Nadler: Senate Must Pass USA Freedom Act without Amendment

(https://judiciary.house.gov/press-release/goodlatte-conyers-sensenbrenner-nadler-senate-must-pass-usa-freedom-act-withoutamendment/)

MAY 31, 2015

Goodlatte, Conyers, Sensenbrenner, Nadler Statement on the USA Freedom Act

(https://judiciary.house.gov/press-release/goodlatte-conyers-sensenbrenner-nadler-statement-on-the-usa-freedom-act/)

MAY 26, 2015

Goodlatte and Leahy Statement on the USA Freedom Act

(https://judiciary.house.gov/press-release/goodlatte-and-leahy-statement-on-the-usa-freedom-act/)

MAY 23, 2015

Goodlatte, Conyers, Sensenbrenner, Nadler on Senate Rejection of the USA Freedom Act

(https://judiciary.house.gov/press-release/goodlatte-conyers-sensenbrenner-nadler-on-senate-rejection-of-the-usa-freedom-act/)

VIEW MORE (HTTPS://JUDICIARY.HOUSE.GOV/PRESS-RELEASES-HEARINGS-AND-MARKUPS/?ISSUE-FILTER=USA-FREEDOM-ACT)

Full Text of the Bill

(https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr2048/BILLS114hr2048eh.pdf)

Chairman Goodlattes Op-Ed

Key Differences in H.R. 2048

(http://gop.gov/5-things-to-know-about-the-

(https://judiciary.house.gov/wp-

usa-freedom-act/)

content/uploads/2016/02/04292015USAFreedom-Differences.pdf)

Chairman Goodlatte's Floor Statement ...

Transcript of Floor Speech (https://judiciary.house.gov/press-release/chairman-goodlatte- oor-statement-on-hr-2048-the-usa-freedom-act-of-2015/)

Correcting the Record on Section 215
Myth: Congress can act on June 1st to reauthorize or amend Section 215.
Fact: Three provisions of the Patriot Act, including Section 215, are set to expire at midnight on May 31, before the House is back in
session. According to the Congressional Research Service, absent any reauthorization, beginning at 12:00 AM in the morning of June
1, 2015, 501 and 502 of FISA would read as they read on October 25, 2001. Moreover, the current FISA court order authorizing
the NSAs bulk telephone metadata program expires on June 1 at 5:00 p.m.
Myth: The USA Freedom Act reverts our intelligence-gathering programs to a pre-9/11 posture.
Fact: The USA Freedom Act enacts sweeping reforms to surveillance programs ending bulk collection, creating a panel of experts at
the FISA court, and mandating transparency but the bill also preserves key authorities. Section 215 will remain a valuable
counterterrorism tool for the FBI. A targeted, narrowly-tailored call detail records authority will replace the NSAs current, unlawful
program. Additionally, the USA Freedom Act enhances national security by providing targeted tools to keep America safe.
Myth: A brief sunset of Section 215 and other authorities under the Patriot Act is a mere technicality.
Fact:If the Senate chooses to allow these authorities to expire, they should do so knowing that sunset may be permanent. TheUSA

Freedom Acthas earned the support of the White House, the intelligence community, privacy and civil liberties advocates, and
private industry. Nearly every member of the House of Representatives demands reform to these authorities. No such coalition
exists for a clean reenactment of Section 215.

SUPPORTERS OF USA

(https://www.accessnow.org/blog/2015/04/29/usa-freedom-actthe-reform-we-need-to-get-to-the-reforms-we-deserve)

(https://aallwash.wordpress.com/2015/04/29/aall-urgesenactment-of-usa-freedom-act/)

(http://www.ala.org

(http://cnss.org/resou

(https://cdt.org/press/congress-should-pass-usa-freedom-act-of2015/)
(http://www.bsa.org/news-andevents/news/2015/april/en04282015 sa)

(http://www.ce.org/News

(https://d1ovv0c9tw0h0c.cloudfront.net/ les/2015/05/USAFREEDOM-2015-Support-Letter_FINAL.pdf)

Press-Releases/CEA-Pr
(http://www.ccianet.org/2015/04/ccia-welcomes-latest-versionof-usa-freedom-act/)

(http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2015/04/congress-hasonly-few-weeks-left-to_29.html)

(http://www.i2coali

coalition-signals-

(https://d1ovv0c9tw0h0c.cloudfront.net/ les/2015/05/USAFREEDOM-2015-Support-Letter_FINAL.pdf)

(https://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm?
(http://internetassociation.org/042915usafreedom/)

a=Files.Serve&File_id=38EB052F-6448-4879-B6BE-

(https://blog.moz

3A3870181AF4)

(https://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm?
a=Files.Serve&File_id=7DA2AC90-8B10-408A-83ABBB5EFC310B3D)

(https://d1ovv0c9tw
(http://www.newamerica.org/oti/oti-supports-new-usa-freedomact-as-last-best-hope-for-surveillance-reform-3/)

FREEDOM

(http://yahoopolicy.tumblr.com/post/117637800868/rgs(https://d1ovv0c9tw0h0c.cloudfront.net/ les/2015/05/USA-

statement-in-support-of-bipartisan-bicameral)

FREEDOM-2015-Support-Letter_FINAL.pdf)

(https://d1ovv0c9tw0h0c.cloudfront.

FREEDOM-2015-Support-Le

(https://d1ovv0c9tw0h0c.cloudfront.net/ les/2015/05/USAFREEDOM-2015-Support-Letter_FINAL.pdf)

(https://d1ovv0c9tw0h0c.cloudfront.net/ les/2015/05/USA-

(https://cdt.org/insig

FREEDOM-2015-Support-Letter_FINAL.pdf)

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