Entries tagged with: FISA
26 result(s) displayed.
2012 FISA Orders Up, National Security Letters Down, No Surveillance Request Denied
According to the 2012 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Report, the Department of Justice submitted 1,856 applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), a 6.4% increase over 2011. Of the 1,856 search applications, 1,789 sought authority to conduct electronic...
Supreme Court Blocks Challenge to FISA Surveillance
The Supreme Court ruled today in Clapper v. Amnesty Int'l USA that a constitutional challenge to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) cannot go forward. A group of attorneys and journalists alleged that the U.S. government could be intercepting their...
Senate to Debate Privacy Amendments for Surveillance Law
The Senate is scheduled to debate several proposals that would establish new safeguards for the FISA Amendments Act, a controversial law that allows surveillance of the phone and email communications of US citizens without a warrant. Earlier this year, EPIC...
Justices Hear Arguments in Surveillance Standing Case
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Clapper v. Amnesty International, a case concerning the right to challenge illegal surveillance. A federal appeals court ruled in favor of a group of plaintiffs, including human rights advocates, journalists and attorneys, and...
EPIC Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Review of Wiretapping Programs
Today EPIC filed an amicus brief with the US Supreme Court in Clapper v. Amnesty International USA, a case challenging the interception of communications of US persons under foreign intelligence surveillance laws. This case presents the issue of constitutional "standing,"...
House Renews Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Powers
The House has voted to reauthorize the FISA Amendments Act (301-118). The Act authorizes programs of surveillance intended to target foreign agents, but allows collection of private communications of United States citizens without individualized suspicion. In May 2012, EPIC Executive...
FISA Reform Proposal Moves Forward in Senate
The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a bill that would established new safeguards for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Amendments Act. The Act provides for court approval of 'programs of surveillance' that allow for the collection of communications of US citizens....
House Panel Votes to Renew Surveillance Law Without New Safeguards
The House Judiciary Committee voted to reauthorize the FISA Amendments Act, HR 5949, through Dec. 31, 2017 without any changes. The Act authorizes "programs of surveillance" intended to target foreign agents, but also allows collection of private communications of United...
House to Consider Bill to Reauthorize Expansive Surveillance Law
The House Committee on the Judiciary will markup the FISA Amendments Act Reauthorization Act of 2012 on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. The Act authorizes government surveillance of international communications, including the private communications of United States citizens. Currently, the law...
EPIC to Congress: "Strengthen FISA Oversight"
EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg will testify before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. The Act authorizes Government surveillance of international communications, including the private communications of U.S. citizens. EPIC will recommend increased transparency and...
EPIC to Testify on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee at a hearing on May 31, 2012 regarding the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. For more information, see EPIC: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and EPIC: Foreign...
Supreme Court Set to Review Wiretap Case
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Clapper v. Amnesty International USA, a challenge to the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. The Act expanded the Government's authority to engage in warrantless surveillance, and followed news of the Bush administration's program...
2011 FISA Orders Up, National Security Letters Down, No Surveillance Request Denied
According to the 2011 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Report the Justice Department submitted 1,745 applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, a 10.5% increase over 2010. Of the 1,745 FISA search applications, 1,676 concerned electronic surveillance. The FISA court...
Congressional Leaders Strike Deal to Extend Patriot Act
Lawmakers in the House and the Senate have reached an agreement that would renew key provisions of the Patriot Act, though amendments are still possible. One of the sections, known as the "lone wolf" provision, allows terrorist investigations of non-citizens...
2010 FISA Orders Up 19%, No Surveillance Request Turned Down
The Department of Justice has released the 2010 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) report. In 2010, the Justice Department submitted 1,579 FISA search applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, a 19% increase over 2009. The court did not deny...
EPIC v. DOJ: Warrantless Wiretapping Memos Disclosed
Pursuant to EPIC v. DOJ, the Justice Deparment has turned over two legal memos concerning the Bush-era warrantless wiretapping program. EPIC sought these memos within hours after the New York Times first reported on the wiretapping program in 2005. The...
EPIC Supports Proposed Reforms for Surveillance Court, Urges Additional Measures
EPIC has submitted comments on the proposed rules for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. In comparison to the previous rules, promulgated in 2006, EPIC said that the new rules would strengthen judicial independence, improve congressional oversight, and promote, to some...
Surveillance Court Seeks Public Comments on Proposed Rules
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) authorizes a special court the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) to undertake electronic surveillance in the United States for foreign intelligence information. The FISC is now seeking public comments concerning its procedures. Comments must...
Inspector General Finds "Egregious Breakdown" in FBI Oversight
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General has issued a report on the FBI's use of "exigent letters" and other means to obtain telephone records from three unnamed phone companies. The 300-page report concludes that many of the...
House Members Introduce PATRIOT and FISA Reform Bills
Representatives Conyers, Nadler, and Scott introduced two bills today that would amend the PATRIOT Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The Patriot Amendments Act of 2009 will enhance reporting and judicial oversight of law enforcement powers, including the National...
