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Title: USA FREEDOM Act of 2014
Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote on a motion to invoke cloture on a bill that prohibits the collection of telephone records of certain individuals.
Highlights:
- Prohibits the FBI from collecting daily call detail records of an individual except under the following circumstances (Sec. 101):
- The agency provides a statement of facts implying that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the records are relevant to an investigation; and
- The agency provides a statement of facts implying that the individual is associated with a foreign power or agent engaged in international terrorism.
- Requires the Director of National Intelligence to make an annual public report detailing certain identification measures including, but not limited to, the following measures (Sec. 603):
- The number of individuals communications were collected from; and
- The number of those individuals who were believed to be in the United States.
- Requires the presiding judges of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to jointly appoint at least 5 attorneys to serve as special advocates to the court (Sec. 401).
- Specifies that the appointed attorneys to the Court will possess expertise in privacy and civil liberties, intelligence collection, tele-communications, and any other relevant area (Sec. 401).
More Info About this Vote
NOTE: INVOKING CLOTURE REQUIRES A 3/5 MAJORITY OF THE SENATE. IT IS NOT A VOTE ON THE PASSAGE OF THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, BUT LIMITS FURTHER DEBATE TO 30 HOURS. CLOTURE IS TYPICALLY USED TO END A FILIBUSTER. A FAILED CLOTURE VOTE OFTEN PREVENTS THE LEGISLATION FROM EVER COMING TO A VOTE.