House passes USA Freedom Act; Senate next as Section 215 comes up for renewal

[frogboy]

Content source

https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/house-passes-usa-freedom-act-senate-next-as-section-215-comes-up-for-renewal/?utm_source=web&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=house-passes-usa-freedom-act

In a landslide vote on Wednesday, the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favour of the USA Freedom Act, potentially signifying the end of the National Security Agency’s (NSA) most controversial spying elements.
The bill, which passed by a vote of 338 to 88, would end the government’s bulk collection of phone records from US telecoms companies – a surveillance program first brought to light in 2006, but not given the attention it deserved until ex-contractor Edward Snowden began leaking information about the NSA’s spying powers.
The new USA Freedom Act instead calls for carriers and telecommunications companies to retain records, with the NSA forced to obtain court orders from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Access by the NSA would also be limited to specific search terms, ensuring access would only be given to relevant records.



Read more here. https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/hou...ook&utm_campaign=house-passes-usa-freedom-act

 

[Tony Cole]

Well done Edward Snowden! It's terrible they said if he returned to the US to face trial they would wave the death penalty.

 

[Chigwells]

Possibly this is only a front in an attempt to get back to 'business as usual'

 

[comfortablynumb15]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/05/senate-adjourns-rejects-compromise-metadata-surveillance-bill/ Annnd...it's rejected. I see it coming, May 31st they'll slip something into current law or outright renew the Patriot bill untouched literally at the last minute. The Freedom Act, I have this bad feeling, was a ruse. They do this all the time, either wait until the very last possible second or water down a controversial bill to get it to pass and strengthen it back up once nothing can be done about it.

 

[Janl92l]

Without Snowden this would never be happend. Snowden is a real hero in this time..its sad that a "hero" need to hide somewhere and cant go to usa and life his life like he want it. thats just one more point to show in what for a wrong world we life.

 

[comfortablynumb15]

I'll withhold making a statue in the town square for him for a few years. When it comes to government affairs and leaks, I stay skeptical.