Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. HURD of Texas. I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, as a former CIA officer, I completely understand the need for the men and women in our intelligence agencies to have access to timely, vital information as they track down bad guys.

As an American citizen, I know how important our civil rights are and that it is the government's job to protect those rights, not infringe upon them. I believe that we, as a nation, as a government, as a people can do both, and that is why I am supporting the USA FREEDOM Act. Because it prioritizes both and strikes the right balance between privacy and security, Americans can rest assured that their private information isn't being subjected to bulk collection by the NSA. They can be confident that there are privacy experts advising the FISA court advocating for our civil liberties, and they can be proud of an intelligence community who works hard every day to make sure that our country is protected.

I have seen firsthand the value these programs bring, but I also know that if Americans don't feel they can trust their own government, we are losing the battle right here at home. It is my hope that this bill will increase transparency and accountability to the program so that our hard-working intelligence community can continue their job of defending the country, and American citizens can be confident that they are being protected from enemies both foreign and domestic. Upholding civil liberties are not burdens; they are what make all of us safer and stronger.

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