Hahn Amendment to Protect Civil Rights Passes House

Press Release

This afternoon, the House passed by a unanimous vote Congresswoman Janice Hahn's amendment that requires federal intelligence agencies who work with local law enforcement to ensure they are protecting the civil rights of all Americans. Hahn's amendment was passed as an amendment to H.R. 5743, the "Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013."

"By ensuring we are protecting the rights of all Americans, we give meaning to the words equal justice under the law," said Rep. Hahn. "Our founding fathers inscribed a promise of equality in the constitution for the generations of Americans that followed. They understood that building a more perfect union demands the same effort in protecting liberty as ensuring national security."

Congresswoman Hahn's amendment empowers the Civil Liberties Protection Officer of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to ensure that any training between the federal intelligence community and local law enforcement includes the protection of constitutional rights of all Americans.

"The intelligence legislation we considered today had wide bipartisan support, demonstrating that Democrats and Republicans can work together to get things done," Rep. Hahn added.

Source