Originally published July 11, 2023 6:00 pm PDT
U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01) is leading a Republican push to end the warrantless surveillance of American citizens, according to a press release from his office.
Gaetz has introduced a resolution to allow the authority under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to expire at the end of the year.
“The persistent abuse of Section 702 of FISA underscores the disturbing trend of our federal government being weaponized against its people,” said Gaetz.
“The blatant misuse of warrantless surveillance powers targeting Americans’ communications should not be accepted or reauthorized.”
Section 702 of FISA, which has been in effect since 2008, has authorized the surveillance of Americans without the need for a warrant. This legislation is due to expire on December 31, 2023.
It has come under increased scrutiny after a FISA Court decision revealed that the FBI had repeatedly misused Section 702 authorities, with over 278,000 instances of surveillance targeting domestic groups like Black Lives Matter and the individuals present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
Also targeted were donors to congressional campaigns.
“We must uphold national security without sacrificing the constitutional rights of our fellow Americans,” Gaetz stated, arguing that legitimate law enforcement and foreign surveillance could still proceed without Section 702, through the use of traditional FISA and federal wiretap laws.
The resolution put forth by Gaetz has garnered support from fellow Republicans in Congress, including Reps. Eli Crane (AZ-02), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14), Thomas Massie (KY-04), and Matt Rosendale (MT-02), all of whom have co-sponsored the initiative.
Gaetz’s move to curtail these surveillance practices reflects a growing concern within the Republican Party about perceived abuses of power by the federal government.
Their collective stance is clear: the constitutional rights of American citizens should take precedence over warrantless surveillance.
