Rep. Nadler Welcomes Introduction of RESTORE Act

Conyers-Reyes Bill Makes Meaningful Changes to FISA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today welcomed the introduction of the Responsible Electronic Surveillance that is Overseen, Reviewed, and Effective Act of 2007 (RESTORE Act), introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (MI-14) and Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (TX-16).

“The RESTORE Act, as currently drafted, crafts a careful balance between security and freedom and it makes clear that FISA is the law of the land,” said Rep. Nadler.  “Chairmen Conyers and Reyes have written a bill that restores many of the freedoms that were undermined by the White House’s bill passed this August.  If President Bush is serious about protecting our nation and preserving the Constitution, he will support the Conyers-Reyes bill.”

The RESTORE Act takes several steps to undo the damage done by the White House’s Protect America Act, which was stampeded through Congress in August.  Specifically, the Conyers-Reyes bill reinforces the role of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in regards to electronic surveillance programs, clarifies that foreign to foreign communications do not require court approval, and requires that FISA warrants are required when targeting domestic communications.

The bill also requires periodic audits of surveillance activities by the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General.  Additionally, the bill provides resources for the National Security Agency and the Justice Department for the purposes of processing FISA applications and other submissions to the FISA court in a timely and efficient manner, and to comply with the audit, reporting and record keeping requirements.

Also, in a key victory for civil liberties, the bill does not include immunity for telecommunications companies that may have broken the law when they participated in the President’s warrantless wiretapping program.

“This bill enhances checks and balances and better protects our national security,” Rep. Nadler added.  “I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure this bill passes with the strongest protections possible.”

Jerrold Nadler has served in Congress since 1992.  He represents New York’s 8th Congressional District, which includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.