Spartz
Congresswoman Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.-05) and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Cal.-19) led a bipartisan letter with members of the House Judiciary Committee requesting Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray to provide a briefing on efforts to prevent further misuse of Section 702 data, including the establishment of the Office of Internal Auditing (OIA).
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is a statute that authorizes warrantless targeting, for foreign intelligence purposes, of electronic communications of foreign nationals who are located abroad. According to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the FBI has repeatedly violated the constitutional rights and civil liberties of Americans through widespread and repeated misuse of Section 702 data collections on U.S. citizens, including those located inside the country.
When Director Wray appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on June 10, a number of committee members raised concerns with the FBI’s misuses of Section 702 data and subsequent efforts to assure privacy, data protection, and proper due process for U.S. citizens. Members further requested a briefing on the FBI’s promised reforms, including the establishment of the OIA.
“The FBI has systematically failed to comply with Section 702 restrictions and its own regulations to protect Americans’ civil liberties,” said Rep. Spartz. “The core function of the government is to protect our constitutional rights, and members of Congress should be briefed by FBI officials regarding the bureau’s efforts to remediate this issue.”
Reps. Spartz and Lofgren were joined in their request by Reps. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), Ted Lieu (D-Cal.), Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ken Buck (R-Col.), Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Lou Correa (D-Cal.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Tom McClintock (R-Cal.), Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), Chip Roy (R-Tex.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), and Burgess Owens (R-Utah).
Click here to read the letter.