WASHINGTON—U.S. Representative Candice Miller today voted to give our nation one of the tools necessary to win the War on Terror by supporting H.R. 5825, the Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act, which will enhance our nation’s abilities to monitor terrorist activities.

“Since September 11, 2001 our nation has not suffered another terrorist attack, and a major reason for that is the NSA terrorist surveillance program,” Rep. Miller said. “As we saw in the break up of the airline bombing plot in Britain and the disruption of a terrorist cell in Toronto, electronic intelligence is vital to our efforts. We must send a message to our terrorist enemy that they should have no sense of security or safety from our efforts to track them down and stop their plans.”

 “At the same time we must also have great concern about protecting the civil liberties of average Americans, and I believe those liberties are properly protected in this bill.”

 Specifically, the bill provides the President the authority to collect electronic surveillance without a court order for up to 90 days after an armed attack to acquire foreign intelligence information, and allows the President to authorize electronic surveillance in the face of an imminent attack for up to 90 days. It also updates and streamlines the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by making it technology-neutral to ensure appropriate surveillance while also reducing paperwork.

 The bill also enhances Congressional oversight of foreign intelligence surveillance activities by ensuring all Intelligence Committee Members will now be briefed on intelligence activities under the National Security Act and requires a report to ensure the 4th Amendment rights of U.S. persons are protected.

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