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WYDEN CALLS FOR CHANCE TO AMEND
INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION BILL
Senator says he will object to passage
of legislation without Senate debate
on provision that would significantly affect Americans’
privacy rights
November 09, 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator
Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) indicated today that he will seek to amend
the FY 2006 Intelligence Authorization bill to address strong
concerns over a provision that would permit military intelligence
officials to conduct covert interviews of U.S. persons on U.S.
soil to assess them as potential intelligence sources without
disclosing their government affiliation. Wyden placed a statement
in the Congressional Record this afternoon announcing his intention
to object to any unanimous consent request that would allow passage
of the bill without debate or amendment. During Intelligence Committee
consideration of the legislation, Wyden, a member of the Committee,
expressed his strong opposition to the military intelligence provision
and to another provision that would have eliminated important
safeguards on the sharing of information between government agencies.
“Deputizing the military to spy on law-abiding citizens
on American soil is an awfully big leap without the benefit of
a single hearing or congressional debate,” said Wyden. “I
intend to make certain this debate occurs in a responsible fashion.”
Under current law, military intelligence
officials are required to declare that they work for the government
when conducting these interviews. While three different committees
– the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Committee
on Armed Services and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs – have reviewed the legislation
that would eliminate this safeguard, there has not been a single
hearing on the effort to expand Department of Defense intelligence
authority in this way.
As a matter of policy, Wyden publicly
announces any formal objection he lodges with regard to the nominees
or legislation, and does so with a formal statement in the Congressional
Record. The text of Senator Wyden’s statement follows:
Statement of Senator Ron Wyden on S. 1803, the Intelligence Authorization
Bill
November 9, 2005
M. President, This year’s
Intelligence Authorization bill is a key piece of legislation
for all Americans and one that I hope to be able to support. But,
as written, the bill is marred by the presence of provisions that
pose serious concerns for Americans’ privacy rights. Among
them is one provision that would permit military intelligence
officials to conduct covert interviews of U.S. persons on U.S.
soil to assess them as potential intelligence sources without
disclosing their government affiliation. With this provision in
the legislation, I am compelled to announce my intention to object
to any unanimous consent request to bring S. 1803, the Intelligence
Reauthorization bill, to the Senate floor for approval without
the opportunity for debate and consideration of amendments.
This legislation has been considered
by three different Committees: the Senate Intelligence Committee,
the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Senate Committee
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Three different
Committees have reviewed the legislation, but there has not been
a single hearing on the expanded power the Administration is seeking
to enable DoD personnel to demand information of law-abiding United
States citizens without having to disclose to them who they are,
on whose behalf they are seeking personal and other information
or what they intend to do with this information.
The CIA already possesses the statutory
authority to engage in such surreptitious interrogations of United
States citizens, and the Department of Defense has not in my mind
made the case for gaining this new authority as well. In fact,
the DoD has not provided any evidence that the failure to have
this authority has resulted in damage to United States national
security.
According to recent press reports,
the FBI has gained access to tens of thousands of pieces of information
about U.S. citizens through national security letters. This information
reportedly ranges from where a person makes and spends money and
who they live with to where they travel and who they email. All
of this information has been deposited in government data banks,
and according to press reports, this personal information is shared
widely, without restriction. The same press reports say that tomorrow,
not only will such information be shared within the federal bureaucracy
but it will be made available to state, local and tribal entities,
and “appropriate private sector entities.”
I remain steadfast in my belief
that you can protect national security without gutting civil liberties;
and this legislation, as it currently is written, is out of balance.
A debate on something as important as protecting the rights of
our constituents to their privacy and shielding against the surreptitious
shakedown of law-abiding citizens is one instance when Americans
can and must be invited into the process.
Shining sunlight on intelligence information for the benefit of
Americans and policymakers alike is critical to our security.
Congress must work to improve information sharing, and we owe
it to the American people to make sure that safeguards remain
in place to ensure that sensitive personal information is not
tossed around inappropriately.
I ask unanimous consent that my
statement be printed in the record.
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