14 DAY TRIAL // Last week’s vote in the House regarding the Amash amendment to the Patriot Act has emphasized just how divided U.S. politicians are when it comes to the NSA surveillance.
Politicians from both parties voted against the spying and so it was obvious that the story would have played out the same if it had been in the Senate.
One voice that has been constantly slamming the NSA over the years pertains to Senator Ron Wyden. He has been expressing his worries about the intelligence agency for years, but he was vowed to secrecy, so he couldn’t exactly explain his feelings.
The outrage, of course, stemmed from top-secret information he was privy of, the Washington Post reports.
“I want to deliver a warning this afternoon: When the American people find out how their government has secretly interpreted the Patriot Act, they will be stunned and they will be angry,” Wyden said back in May 2011.
Now, everyone knows at least one part of the entire operation, namely those revealed thanks to the leaked documents of Edward Snowden. These detail vast domestic surveillance programs that cover phone calls, emails, and other electronic communications.
Wyden continues to press the case, seeking to force leaders of the intelligence agencies to clarify, in public, the nature of their programs and also to seek legislative change, including an overhaul of the FISA court.
Last week, the Amash amendment came under vote in the House. The amendment sought to modify the portion of the Patriot Act that enabled the NSA to gather data on US citizens. The House voted 217 “against” and 205 “in favor” after the NSA leaders and the White House joined forces in an emergency lobbying effort. The Obama administration went as far as making a public statement regarding the amendment and calling it a “blunt” approach.