Category Archives: NSA

This June 6, 2013, file photo shows the sign outside the National Security Agency campus in Fort Meade, Md. A presidential advisory panel has recommended dozens of changes to the government's surveillance programs, including stripping the NSA of its ability to store Americans' telephone records and requiring a court to sign off on the individual searches of phone and Internet data.AP/File

WASHINGTON The House on Thursday passed legislation to end the National Security Agency's bulk collection of American phone records, the first legislative response to the disclosures by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

Although the compromise measure was significantly "watered down," in the words of Democrat Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, it passed by a vote of 303 to 120, with 9 members not voting.

"We must not let the perfect be the enemy of the good," Schakowsky, an intelligence committee member, said in summing up the feelings of many Republicans and Democrats who voted for the measure but wanted tougher provisions. Dropped from the bill was a requirement for an independent public advocate on the secret intelligence court that oversees the NSA.

The USA Freedom Act would codify a proposal made in January by President Barack Obama, who said he wanted to end the NSA's practice of collecting the "to and from" records of nearly every American landline telephone call under a program that searched the data for connections to terrorist plots abroad.

The bill instructs the phone companies to hold the records for 18 months--which they already were doing-- and lets the NSA search them in terrorism investigations in response to a judicial order. The phone program was revealed last year by Snowden, who used his job as a computer network administrator to remove tens of thousands of secret documents from an NSA facility in Hawaii.

The measure now heads to the Senate. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the chairwoman of the intelligence committee, has said she is willing to go along with a similar idea.

NSA officials were pleased with the bill because under the existing program, they did not have access to many mobile phone records. Under the new arrangement, they will, officials say.

"I believe this is a workable compromise that protects the core function of a counter terrorism program we know has saved lives around the world," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., the House Intelligence Committee chairman.

Privacy and civil liberties activists denounced the measure, saying it had been "gutted" to win agreement from lawmakers such as Rogers who supported the NSA phone records program.

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House approves curbs on NSA record-gathering

This June 6, 2013, file photo shows the sign outside the National Security Agency campus in Fort Meade, Md. A presidential advisory panel has recommended dozens of changes to the government's surveillance programs, including stripping the NSA of its ability to store Americans' telephone records and requiring a court to sign off on the individual searches of phone and Internet data.AP/File

WASHINGTON The House on Thursday passed legislation to end the National Security Agency's bulk collection of American phone records, the first legislative response to the disclosures by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

Although the compromise measure was significantly "watered down," in the words of Democrat Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, it passed by a vote of 303 to 120, with 9 members not voting.

"We must not let the perfect be the enemy of the good," Schakowsky, an intelligence committee member, said in summing up the feelings of many Republicans and Democrats who voted for the measure but wanted tougher provisions. Dropped from the bill was a requirement for an independent public advocate on the secret intelligence court that oversees the NSA.

The USA Freedom Act would codify a proposal made in January by President Barack Obama, who said he wanted to end the NSA's practice of collecting the "to and from" records of nearly every American landline telephone call under a program that searched the data for connections to terrorist plots abroad.

The bill instructs the phone companies to hold the records for 18 months--which they already were doing-- and lets the NSA search them in terrorism investigations in response to a judicial order. The phone program was revealed last year by Snowden, who used his job as a computer network administrator to remove tens of thousands of secret documents from an NSA facility in Hawaii.

The measure now heads to the Senate. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the chairwoman of the intelligence committee, has said she is willing to go along with a similar idea.

NSA officials were pleased with the bill because under the existing program, they did not have access to many mobile phone records. Under the new arrangement, they will, officials say.

"I believe this is a workable compromise that protects the core function of a counter terrorism program we know has saved lives around the world," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., the House Intelligence Committee chairman.

Privacy and civil liberties activists denounced the measure, saying it had been "gutted" to win agreement from lawmakers such as Rogers who supported the NSA phone records program.

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House approves bill curbing NSA phone data collection

NSA Records Every Single Cell Phone Call Made In The Bahamas
A new report from The Intercept claims the National Security Agency records full audio of every call made on the Bahamas cell phone network. Follow Zach Toom...

By: NewsyHub

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NSA Records Every Single Cell Phone Call Made In The Bahamas - Video

Senator to NSA Are you spying on me
certified financial planning financial broker personal financial advisors retirement financial planning financial planning companies financial advisers financial advisory services independent...

By: Alexandria Foster

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Senator to NSA Are you spying on me - Video

Rogers: Some NSA proposals #39;not workable #39;
certified financial planning financial broker personal financial advisors retirement financial planning financial planning companies financial advisers financial advisory services independent...

By: Alexandria Foster

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Rogers: Some NSA proposals 'not workable' - Video

Rep Zoe Lofgren on NSA Surveillance Reform Amendments to NDAA
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19) testifies before the House Rules Committee on her NSA Surveillance reform amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Rep. Lofgren and House Rules...

By: Rep Zoe Lofgren

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Rep Zoe Lofgren on NSA Surveillance Reform Amendments to NDAA - Video

How the NSA is Using The Bahamas as a Model for Total Control | Big Brother Watch
Abby Martin highlights a new report by The Intercept showing that the NSA is collecting and recording virtually every single phone call made on the island nation of the Bahamas and how this...

By: breakingtheset

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How the NSA is Using The Bahamas as a Model for Total Control | Big Brother Watch - Video

THE NSA- THE GARDEN
(C) 2014 The NSA Music - Written by Nick Cheyne-Performed by Nick Cheyne/Scott Lazenby/Caveman-Recorded/Produced by Greame Watt Louise Coombs @ Seagate Studios, Dundee 21st May 2014.

By: Nicholas Cheyne

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THE NSA- THE GARDEN - Video

This June 6, 2013, file photo shows the sign outside the National Security Agency campus in Fort Meade, Md. A presidential advisory panel has recommended dozens of changes to the government's surveillance programs, including stripping the NSA of its ability to store Americans' telephone records and requiring a court to sign off on the individual searches of phone and Internet data.AP/File

WASHINGTON The House has passed a bill to end the National Security Agency's bulk collection of American phone records. It's the first legislative response to the disclosures by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and the Senate is expected to take it up. But civil liberties activists and technology companies say the bill doesn't go nearly far enough.

The USA Freedom Act tracks a proposal made in January by President Barack Obama, who said he wanted to end the NSA's practice of collecting the "to and from" records of nearly every American landline telephone call.

The bill requires the phone companies to keep the records for 18 months -- something they already were doing-- and allows the NSA to search for connections to terrorist plots abroad in response to a court order.

"The bill's significant reforms would provide the public greater confidence in our programs and the checks and balances in the system," the White House said in a statement Wednesday endorsing the legislation.

Privacy and civil liberties activists denounced the measure, saying it had been "gutted" to win agreement from lawmakers, particularly on the Intelligence Committee, who supported the NSA phone records program.

"This legislation was designed to prohibit bulk collection, but has been made so weak that it fails to adequately protect against mass, untargeted collection of Americans' private information," Nuala O'Connor, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said in a statement.

"The bill now offers only mild reform and goes against the overwhelming support for definitively ending bulk collection," she added.

House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat who represents a liberal district outside of Los Angeles, said the bill is perhaps the most significant action Congress will take in response to the Snowden leaks. The former NSA contractor handed journalists documents that revealed a host of once-secret NSA surveillance programs, including some that sweep in the personal information of Americans even as they target foreigners.

Outrage over the programs that Snowden publicized brought together conservatives and liberals who favor civil liberties, while the administration and congressional leadership resisted changing what they considered a useful counterterror tool.

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House to vote on bill curbing NSA phone data collection

Greenwald #39;thrilled #39; at film deal on NSA leaks book
Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who broke the story of Edward Snowden #39;s leaks on NSA surveillance, says he #39;s "thrilled" that a film is to be made of his new ...

By: AFP news agency

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Greenwald 'thrilled' at film deal on NSA leaks book - Video