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HR 7888 - Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act - National Key Vote

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Title: Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that reauthorizes Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for 5 years and makes changes to FISA, including certain restrictions on surveillance under Section 702.

Highlights:

  • Extends Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for 5 years and amends further changes to FISA, including certain restrictions on surveillance under Section 702 (Sec. 2-20).

  • Specifies that Section 702 concerns electronic surveillance of non-U.S. persons believed to be outside the United States to obtain foreign intelligence information and information about U.S. persons may incidentally be acquired by this type of surveillance and subsequently searched or "queried" under certain circumstances (Sec. 2-20).

  • Establishes statutory limits on querying the contents of information collected under Section 702, including (Sec. 2-20):

    • Prohibiting Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel from making U.S. person queries without prior approval by certain FBI supervisors or attorneys unless the query might mitigate or eliminate a threat to life or serious bodily harm;

    • Requiring the FBI Deputy Director to approve certain politically sensitive query terms (such as those that identify certain elected and appointed officials);

    • Prohibiting the involvement of political appointees in the approval process for such politically sensitive query requests; and

    • Requiring the FBI Director to establish consequences for non-compliant querying of U.S. person terms, including zero tolerance for willful misconduct.

  • Requires applications for a surveillance order under FISA to be supported by sworn statements and limits the use of information in such applications derived from political organizations or media sources, and increases criminal penalties related to FISA (Sec. 2-20).

  • Requires adverse consequences (e.g., suspension without pay or removal) for government officers and employees who engage in intentional misconduct with respect to proceedings before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review (Sec. 2-20).

NOTE: THIS LEGISLATION NEEDED A THREE-FIFTHS MAJORITY VOTE TO PASS.

Full Bill Text

See How Your Politicians Voted

Title: Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to invoke cloture on a motion to proceed to pass a bill that reauthorizes Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for 5 years and makes changes to FISA, including certain restrictions on surveillance under Section 702.

Highlights:

  • Extends Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for 5 years and amends further changes to FISA, including certain restrictions on surveillance under Section 702 (Sec. 2-20).

  • Specifies that Section 702 concerns electronic surveillance of non-U.S. persons believed to be outside the United States to obtain foreign intelligence information and information about U.S. persons may incidentally be acquired by this type of surveillance and subsequently searched or "queried" under certain circumstances (Sec. 2-20).

  • Establishes statutory limits on querying the contents of information collected under Section 702, including (Sec. 2-20):

    • Prohibiting Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel from making U.S. person queries without prior approval by certain FBI supervisors or attorneys unless the query might mitigate or eliminate a threat to life or serious bodily harm;

    • Requiring the FBI Deputy Director to approve certain politically sensitive query terms (such as those that identify certain elected and appointed officials);

    • Prohibiting the involvement of political appointees in the approval process for such politically sensitive query requests; and

    • Requiring the FBI Director to establish consequences for non-compliant querying of U.S. person terms, including zero tolerance for willful misconduct.

  • Requires applications for a surveillance order under FISA to be supported by sworn statements and limits the use of information in such applications derived from political organizations or media sources, and increases criminal penalties related to FISA (Sec. 2-20).

  • Requires adverse consequences (e.g., suspension without pay or removal) for government officers and employees who engage in intentional misconduct with respect to proceedings before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review (Sec. 2-20).

NOTE: INVOKING CLOTURE REQUIRES A 3/5 MAJORITY OF THE SENATE. IT IS NOT A VOTE ON THE PASSAGE OF THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION, BUT LIMITS FURTHER DEBATE TO 30 HOURS. CLOTURE IS TYPICALLY USED TO END A FILIBUSTER. A FAILED CLOTURE VOTE OFTEN PREVENTS THE LEGISLATION FROM EVER COMING TO A VOTE.

Full Bill Text

See How Your Politicians Voted

Title: Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that reauthorizes Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for 5 years and makes changes to FISA, including certain restrictions on surveillance under Section 702.

Highlights:

  • Extends Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for 5 years and amends further changes to FISA, including certain restrictions on surveillance under Section 702 (Sec. 2-20).

  • Specifies that Section 702 concerns electronic surveillance of non-U.S. persons believed to be outside the United States to obtain foreign intelligence information and information about U.S. persons may incidentally be acquired by this type of surveillance and subsequently searched or "queried" under certain circumstances (Sec. 2-20).

  • Establishes statutory limits on querying the contents of information collected under Section 702, including (Sec. 2-20):

    • Prohibiting Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) personnel from making U.S. person queries without prior approval by certain FBI supervisors or attorneys unless the query might mitigate or eliminate a threat to life or serious bodily harm;

    • Requiring the FBI Deputy Director to approve certain politically sensitive query terms (such as those that identify certain elected and appointed officials);

    • Prohibiting the involvement of political appointees in the approval process for such politically sensitive query requests; and

    • Requiring the FBI Director to establish consequences for non-compliant querying of U.S. person terms, including zero tolerance for willful misconduct.

  • Requires applications for a surveillance order under FISA to be supported by sworn statements and limits the use of information in such applications derived from political organizations or media sources, and increases criminal penalties related to FISA (Sec. 2-20).

  • Requires adverse consequences (e.g., suspension without pay or removal) for government officers and employees who engage in intentional misconduct with respect to proceedings before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review (Sec. 2-20).

Full Bill Text

Title: Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act

Full Bill Text

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