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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHouse votes 293-123 to cut funding for NSA spying on Americans (but snowden didn't matter)
In a surprising vote late Thursday night, a strong majority of the House of Representatives voted to cut funding to NSA operations that involve warrantless spying on Americans or involve putting hardware or software "backdoors" into various products. The amendment to a defense appropriations bill, offered by Reps. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Thomas Massie (R-KY), passed 293 to 123.
The amendment specifies that, with a few exceptions, none of the funds made available by this Act may be used by an officer or employee of the United States to query a collection of foreign intelligence information acquired under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1881a) using a United States person as an identifier.
In addition, none of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the National Security Agency or the Central Intelligence Agency to mandate or request that a person...alter its product or service to permit the electronic surveillance...of any user of said product or service for said agencies. Since Edward Snowden began leaking documents about the NSA's tactics in June of last year, security experts have worried about reports of intentional weaknesses left in widely used cryptography specifications.
more at......
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/06/house-votes-293-123-to-cut-funding-for-nsa-spying-on-americans-building-backdoors/
Mojorabbit
(16,020 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,112 posts)Thanks for the thread, Logical.
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)Even they are afraid of the monster they created.
Hekate
(90,202 posts)Savannahmann
(3,891 posts)I mean, like you, I am familiar with the story, and the fact that Snowden didn't tell us anything we didn't already know, which proves that he was a traitor for telling us the things we already knew about. Somehow.
So why would Congress vote to reign in the NSA when Snowden committed treason by telling us things we already knew?
ohheckyeah
(9,314 posts)because.
Logical
(22,457 posts)joshcryer
(62,265 posts)To reign in the NSA you repeal the FISA amendments that enable them to do data collection.
LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)135-94 Rethug
158-29 Democrat
How often do you see bipartisanship in the old sense (ie not corporate welfare?)
Yet we're to believe Snowden meant nothing? Nope, it was all old info.
joshcryer
(62,265 posts)The action, " querying) information acquired under 702 ... using a United States person as an identifier" always fell under section 703 which requires a warrant for US citizens, which, btw, fall through a rubber stamp process, so 703 itself is pointless.
It does not stop the collection of said data.
But, pat yourself on the back and bury your head in the sand. At least 86% of Democrats voted for it as opposed to just 41% of Republicans, but I'm not sure where I stand on that. I'd like to see if there were any floor speeches by Democrats calling for a full repeal of 702 (and 703 for that matter).
joshcryer
(62,265 posts)Now if NSA spying falls under the radar can we blame Snowden and Greenwald for getting Congress to pass non-legislation which does absolutely nothing to stop NSA spying?
BlueCheese
(2,522 posts)Hopefully she's learned that loyalty to the Constitution outweighs loyalty to the party.
joshcryer
(62,265 posts)It actually disappoints me. Oh, and the majority of the Democratic Party voted for it, probably because it left little commitment and meant literally nothing.
joshcryer
(62,265 posts)I mean, after all, this legislation does nothing, absolutely nothing, to stop data collection on every single person who uses telecommunications on the planet.