Rep. Jerrorld Nadler, D-N.Y., wants Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to add one more item to his to-do list during Congress’ lame duck session: pass legislation revamping the National Security Agency.
Nadler, a frequent NSA critic, fired off a letter to Reid, D-Nev., urging him to take up legislation, already passed by the House of Representatives that would restrict the NSA’s bulk data collection program before the 113th Congress concludes its business next month.
‘As the 113th Congress nears its end, the window to enact meaningful reform of the National Security Agency‘s (NSA) overly broad and unconstitutional domestic spying practices is rapidly closing,’ Nadler wrote.
Nadler noted that the USA Freedom Act has bipartisan support from Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and House Judiciary Committee Chair Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.
During the summer, the House passed the measure over the summer in a rare 303-121 bipartisan vote that reflected concerns among Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservative sand libertarians about civil liberties and the scope of the NSA’s activities.
‘We sent a clear message from both sides of the aisle that current practices of mass data collection are unacceptable,’ Nadler wrote. ‘Now, it is up to the Senate. I urge you to work together and schedule a vote on the floor during the coming post-election session in order to pass Senator Leahy’s most recent version of the USA Freedom Act and send it back to the House for a final vote.’