KMA Land - Freedom Act: Pro and Con

News Article

by Mike Peterson

Two KMAland congressional representatives are split on a bill that prevents the federal government from seizing individuals' phone records from telecommunications companies.

President Obama signed the USA Freedom Act into law late Tuesday evening following final approval by the U.S. Senate. Designed to reform post-9/11 security measures, the bill requires the federal government to seek a special warrant before obtaining metadata from phone companies. Iowa 3rd District Congressman David Young voted in favor of the bill, which passed the U.S. House two weeks ago. Young discussed his vote in an interview during KMA's 7:35 news segment Wednesday morning.

"Those records are still being retained," said Young, "but they're being retained by the phone companies. And if the NSA or any other intelligence agency wants to look at those records, or believe they have due cause to visit them, they have to get a warrant from the FISA court. FISA is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
That information is still there, but they have to have good reason in a warrant this time around."

The Van Meter Republican says the reforms contained in the Freedom Act won't hurt national security, or the privacy of American citizens.

"I think we have a good balance here," he said, "of protecting national security, and making sure that our Fourth Amendment rights or civil liberties are protected."

Iowa Senator Charles Grassley also voted in favor of the bill. Iowa's junior senator, however, was opposed. Red Oak Republican Joni Ernst says she, instead, supported a short-term extension of the Patriot Act. She believes the Freedom Act hampers important security measures implemented as an original counter-terrorism approach.

"I've expressed my serious concerns," said Ernst, "over delegating responsibility solely to the telephone companies. The USA Freedom Act fails to detail how long telephone companies are required to keep metadata records, and there are uncertainties about processed delays in the transfer of information from various telecoms to the federal government. We can and must do better to protect the security of all Americans."

Rather than protecting citizens' privacy, Ernst regards the bill as a step backward.

"In that act, of course, we have 34 individuals at the NSA who have access to the metadata," she said. "Only when certain requirements are met can they have access to that data. Now that we have hundreds of telephone companies across the United States that will be housing the same information--just with their own customers."

She further compares the bill to--quote--"installing a fire suppression system without hooking it up." Ernst made her comments in a conference call with reporters Wednesday morning.

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