Blog: NSA Reform - Amendment Vote and My Bill

Statement

Last night, Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) introduced an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations bill on NSA reform. It would have limited the powers of the NSA for one year (it was an appropriations bill, which are year-to-year bills). I voted in support of this amendment. Unfortunately, the amendment failed (205-217) and did not pass the House.

One month ago (June 28), I introduced a bill (H.R. 2603, the Relevancy Act) that would PERMANENTLY limit the powers of the NSA. It would require an FBI investigation to be of a specific person or group of persons, and it requires the tangible things sought and collected by the NSA to be related to a person that is subject to an investigation. We as a country must keep our citizens safe from terrorist attacks while protecting our personal freedoms.

Today, I sent a letter to Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, Majority Whip McCarthy, Republican Conference Chairman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Republican Policy Committee Chairman Lankford, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Goodlatte, and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rogers, urging them to move forward on my NSA reform bill, H.R. 2603, the Relevancy Act, through a regular legislative process. Last night, more than 200 Republicans and Democrats in the House supported an amendment (Amash-Conyers) that would temporarily reform the NSA. My bill, H.R. 2603, the Relevancy Act, would provide permanent reform.

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