Senator Rand Paul Filibustering NSA Surveillance Parts of The Patriot Act

[Chef Ramsay]

After Senate Fails to Extend PATRIOT Act, NSA Begins Shutdown of Bulk Spying Program

Due to the fact that the US Senate failed to reauthorize the PATRIOT Act last week, the Obama administration has begun to wind down the National Security Agency's bulk collection of Americans' phone records.

More...http://truthinmedia.com/after-senate-fails-to-extend-patriot-act-nsa-begins-shutdown-of-bulk-spying-program/

[Chef Ramsay]

Judge Andrew Napolitano: Mass Surveillance Will Continue Even Without PATRIOT Act Section 215

Judge Andrew Napolitano: Mass Surveillance Will Continue Even Without PATRIOT Act Section 215

Privacy advocates looking forward to an end of the Unites States government’s mass surveillance program due to the looming sunset of PATRIOT Act section 215 may do well to shelve their Champagne bottles. Judge Andrew Napolitano, in a Fox News interview on Wednesday, presented his grim assessment that the US National Security Agency (NSA) snooping would continue even absent the section 215 authority.

Napolitano, a Ron Paul Institute Advisory Board member, says in the interview that the US government is lying to the American people with the claim that the mass surveillance would be suspended upon the expiration of the PATRIOT Act provision used to justify the mass surveillance program. Instead, Napolitano explains the snooping will continue reliant on two other legal justifications. Napolitano states:

There are two other provisions in the law that the NSA relies on which will cause it to continue to spy on Americans even if section 215 of the PATRIOT Act does expire. One of those is a section of the FISA law called section 702, and one of them is a still-existing executive order signed by President George W. Bush in the fall or 2001, which has not been tinkered with, interfered with, or rescinded.

Watch here Napolitano’s full explanation as well as a passionate concluding commentary by show host Shepard Smith:


Meanwhile, the potential of section 215 of the PATRIOT Act expiring is being used to push through the US Congress the USA FREEDOM Act that will give the mass surveillance program a new legal framework just as the old legal framework provided in the PATRIOT Act is coming under greater judicial scrutiny.

The “reform” USA FREEDOM Act (act two of PATRIOT Act sponsor Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI)) has passed in the House and is available for consideration in the Senate. But, the failure of the new bill to end or even significantly restrict the mass spying program has become increasingly evident. If Congress does not send to President Barack Obama the USA FREEDOM Act in its current form or a simple extension of set to expire PATRIOT Act provisions soon, expect an effort to quickly push through Congress a “new and improved” USA FREEDOM Act.

There will be much bluster about an “improved” USA FREEDOM ACT — a pig with lipstick — striking the right balance to protect both liberty and security. But, as with the PATRIOT Act 14 years ago, national security state special interests will control the tinkering behind the scenes, and the American people will learn what was wrought only after the bill passes.

Video here...http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/peace-and-prosperity/2015/may/28/judge-andrew-napolitano-mass-surveillance-will-continue-even-without-patriot-act-section-215/

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul vows to end NSA's bulk collection of phone call data

Pushing the government toward a shutdown of its bulk collection of surveillance data, Republican Sen. Rand Paul all but promised to tie the Senate in procedural knots Sunday during a special session to keep the National Security Agency system running past an end-of-the-weekend deadline.

Paul, who has made ending the program a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, announced his intentions Saturday, defying party leaders and a broad coalition of lawmakers who prefer reforming the program.

"There has to be another way," Paul said in a statement. "So tomorrow, I will force the expiration of the NSA illegal spy program. I am ready and willing to start the debate on how we fight terrorism without giving up our liberty."

The program's authorization expires at midnight Sunday, but the NSA has already said its complicated shutdown will get underway hours earlier as the Senate convenes Sunday afternoon for a rare session that cuts short its Memorial Day recess week.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-rand-paul-nsa-surveillance-20150530-story.html

[EternalWingsofGod]

Success for Rand Paul seeing how the Patriot Act has expired
Patriot Act Surveillance Provisions Expire After Senate Showdown

The National Security Agency's authority to collect troves of bulk telephone metadata under the post-Sept. 11 USA Patriot Act expired at midnight Monday after Republican senators were unable to make a deal.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sought a two-week extension Sunday of two less controversial provisions of the Patriot Act, but that effort was blocked by Sen. Rand Paul, his fellow Kentucky Republican who is running for president partly on his strong objections to the surveillance programs.

"Tonight we stopped the illegal NSA bulk data collection," Rand said in a statement. "This is a victory no matter how you look at it. It might be short lived, but I hope that it provides a road for a robust debate, which will strengthen our intelligence community, while also respecting our Constitution."

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/nsa-snooping/deal-renew-patriot-act-surveillance-powers-stalls-senate-n367431

NY Times Opinion
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/29/opinion/let-patriot-act-provisions-expire.html?_r=1

[TheIrishman]

NSA programme: Bush-era powers expire as US prepares to roll back surveillance

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/31/nsa-reform-senate-deal-as-patriot-act

<< Sweeping US surveillance powers, enjoyed by the National Security Agency since the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, are to shut down at midnight on Monday after a dramatic Senate showdown in which even the NSA’s biggest supporters conceded that substantial reforms were inevitable. >>