The USA Freedom Act: Restoring Limits on Government Surveillance
Background
The USA Freedom Act (Public Law 114-23) is a federal law enacted on June 2, 2015, that restored and modified several provisions of the Patriot Act, which had expired the previous day. These changes were made in response to concerns about the potential for abuse of government surveillance powers.
Key Provisions
The USA Freedom Act imposes the following new limits on bulk collection of telecommunication metadata on U.S. citizens by intelligence agencies: * Agencies are now required to obtain a court order before collecting metadata in bulk. * Metadata can only be collected for a specific, authorized purpose. * Metadata can only be retained for a limited period of time. * Telecommunication companies are prohibited from disclosing metadata to the government without a court order.
Judicial Impact
In 2013, Judge Richard Leon ruled that the National Security Agency's (NSA) mass surveillance program was unconstitutional. The USA Freedom Act's provisions were seen as a response to this ruling and an effort to ensure that future surveillance programs comply with the Constitution.
Legislative Intent
The USA Freedom Act was passed with bipartisan support in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Supporters of the act argued that it struck a balance between national security and civil liberties. Opponents of the act argued that it did not go far enough in limiting government surveillance.
Ongoing Debate
The debate over the scope of government surveillance continues. Some argue that the USA Freedom Act is still insufficient to protect privacy rights, while others believe that it has gone too far in limiting the government's ability to prevent terrorism.
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