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A Truly Orwellian Measure

Floor Speech

Date: April 27, 2012
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Technology and Communication Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, under the Fourth Amendment, if the government wants to snoop through a person's email, it must first convince a judge that there's probable cause to believe that person has committed a crime, and it must specify the documents it believes are relevant to that charge.

Yesterday, the House passed a measure that makes a mockery of this cherished protection. Under the guise of cybersecurity, it allows the government to pressure and cajole Internet providers to turn over their subscribers' data and for the government to then use that data without the consent or even the knowledge of the individuals affected for a wide variety of vague purposes unrelated to cybersecurity, all without a warrant.

This is a truly Orwellian measure that our Bill of Rights was specifically written to prevent. I hope the House will have second thoughts as it reflects on the ramifications of this act.


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