House Intelligence Committee Advances Bill to End Bulk Collection of Metadata

For Immediate Release                                                     Contact: Susan Phalen (Rogers)
May 08, 2014                                                               Susan.Phalen@mail.house.gov
                                                                            Allison Getty  (Ruppersberger)
                                                                             Allison.Getty@mail.house.gov

This morning the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence advanced H.R. 3361, the USA Freedom Act.

Similar to the FISA Transparency and Modernization Act introduced by Chairman Mike Rogers and Ranking Member Ruppersberger in March, the amended USA Freedom Act ends the bulk collection of telephone metadata while preserving an important counterterrorism tool.

Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Ruppersberger stated: “Enhancing privacy and civil liberties while protecting the operational capability of a critical counterterrorism tool, not pride of authorship, has always been our first and last priority. We are pleased the House Judiciary Committee reached a compromise that garnered strong, bipartisan support.  We look forward to working with the Judiciary Committee, House and Senate leadership, and the White House to address outstanding operational concerns and enact the USA Freedom Act into law this year.”

The USA Freedom Act was approved by voice vote and now proceeds to the House floor for consideration.

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