November 05, 2013

Wyden Statement of Support for the USA FREEDOM Act

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) – a senior member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a leader of the surveillance reform movement -- issued the following statement in support of the USA FREEDOM Act introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).

“Today, I am proud to add Chairman Leahy as a co-sponsor of our Intelligence Oversight and Surveillance Reform Act.  Our bipartisan legislation sets the bar for real, meaningful reforms to surveillance law.  This includes ending the dragnet domestic surveillance that has infringed on the Constitutional rights of millions of Americans without making our country any safer.

I am equally proud today to add my name to Chairman Leahy’s reform bill, the USA FREEDOM Act.  As written this bill will also make these vital reforms, and now that the Senate Intelligence Committee has decided to preserve surveillance business-as-usual, Chairman Leahy’s legislation is now our best hope for reform in this Congress.  I urge everyone who has supported Senators Udall, Paul, Blumenthal and myself in our efforts to lend their support to Chairman Leahy as he works to advance the USA FREEDOM Act.  I want to thank the Chairman for his important leadership on this issue.  

I will also continue to work with Senator Paul to ensure that law-abiding Americans who have been harmed by intrusive government surveillance programs have an opportunity to challenge the constitutionality of these programs in court.”