The US Justice Department said in a press release on Wednesday that it opposes legislation overwhelmingly approved by the Senate to the USA Freedom Act to protect Americans from government snooping and warned it will recommend to President Donald Trump to veto legislation pending in the House of Representatives that seeks to place additional limits on its ability to track terrorist and spies
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2020) The US Justice Department said in a press release on Wednesday that it opposes legislation overwhelmingly approved by the Senate to the USA Freedom Act to protect Americans from government snooping and warned it will recommend to President Donald Trump to veto legislation pending in the House of Representatives that seeks to place additional limits on its ability to track terrorist and spies.
"The [Justice] Department opposes the Senate-passed bill in its current form and also opposes the Lofgren amendment in the House. Given the cumulative negative effect of these legislative changes on the Department's ability to identify and track terrorists and spies, the Department must oppose the legislation now under consideration in the House. If passed, the Attorney General would recommend that the President veto the legislation," the release said.
The USA Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2020 passed the Senate by an 80-16 vote earlier this month, with privacy protection measures rejected by the Trump administration. An amendment offered on the House of Representatives side by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren contains an outright prohibition against the government using internet histories to spy on Americans.
A House vote is expected next week, and any changes would send the bill back to the Senate.
On March 15, 2020, Section 215 of the Freedom Act - which provided a basis for the US intelligence agencies to spy on the 2016 Trump presidential campaign and transition - expired with Congress unable to agree on an extension.
The Trump administration previously labeled the Senate bill as unacceptable and Wednesday's Justice Department release also extended that opposition to the Lofgren amendment. The latter would impose government use of the law's Section 215 to collect websites that a US person visits, videos that they watch and search queries and other on-line activities.
