Rep. Foster Calls for Examination of National Security Agency Operations

Press Release

Recently, a letter signed by Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11) calling for examination and reform of the National Security Agency's operations was delivered to President Obama. Foster joined 153 colleagues in the House of Representatives in signing the letter which strongly urged the President to work with Congress to consider modifications and amendments to existing law.

"I take the concerns about NSA spying very seriously and that's why I have submitted this letter," said Foster. "The privacy of U.S. citizens is paramount and we need to ensure these systems are used responsibly and in accordance with all Constitutional and legal rights reserved for U.S. citizens. I have attended multiple classified briefings and visited the NSA headquarters to get answers to technical questions about some of these activities. We need to examine whether the NSA program struck a proper balance between national security and civil liberties and that's why I am calling on President Obama to work with Congress to examine the operations of the NSA and consider amendments to existing law that strengthen the balance between our national security and Americans' civil liberties."

The letter poses several questions to the President, including whether or not the program could be tailored more narrowly to better ensure the protection of privacy and civil liberties and whether or not changes to the current FISA Court structure are needed. Other signatories of the letter included Representative's Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Tammy Duckworth (IL-8), William Enyart (IL-12), Luis Gutierrez (IL-4), and Jan Schakowsky (IL-9)

Full text of the letter can be found here: http://www.democraticleader.gov/Pelosi_Letter_to_Obama_on_NSA

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