A Truly Orwellian Measure
House Chamber, Washington, D.C.
April 27, 2012
Mr. Speaker:
Under the Fourth Amendment, if the Government wants to snoop through a person’s email, it must first convince a judge that there is probable cause to believe that person has committed a crime and it must specify the documents it believes are relevant to that charge.
Yesterday the House passed a measure that makes a mockery of this cherished protection. Under the guise of cyber-security it allows the government to pressure and cajole Internet providers to turn over their subscribers’ data and for the government then to use that data – without the consent or even knowledge of the individuals affected – for a wide variety of vague purposes unrelated to cyber-security – all without warrant.
This is a truly Orwellian measure that our Bill of Rights was specifically written to prevent. I hope the House will have second thoughts as it reflects on the ramifications of this act.
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