Washington, DC – Today, local Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand voted for H.R. 6304, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act amendments, to modernize the foreign surveillance system.  This bill is intended to update the way the federal government can capture intelligence to deal with advances in technology.  The bill passed by a margin of 293-129.

“This bipartisan FISA bill provides the intelligence community with the modern tools they need to effectively combat terrorism,” said Congresswoman Gillibrand.  “Providing for American’s security at home and abroad is the government’s highest priority. We can protect America and protect our civil liberties at the same time.”

This bill updates the FISA law to allow warrantless wiretapping of foreign-to-foreign communications even if the wireless signal or internet signal passes through a server in the United States.  It also rejects blanket immunity to telecom companies and instead directs federal district courts to determine whether evidence supports civil protection for telecom companies that aided the government after 9/11. 

Gillibrand added, “As a member of the Armed Services Committee and Terrorism subcommittee, this bill strongly supports the intelligence needs of our troops.  Every day, our young men and women in the field are in harm’s way and depend on surveillance to accomplish their missions safely and effectively. It was essential that we give them the tools they need. The bill also draws the fine line of protecting our Constitutional Rights.”