Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09) submitted an amendment Tuesday, to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would prohibit the Department of Defense from collecting information on U.S. citizens without probable cause of a terrorism or criminal offense. Grayson’s amendment is a response to recent reports that the National Security Administration (NSA), which falls under the Defense Department, has been secretly collecting the telephone records and the private internet communications of U.S. citizens.
Grayson called these reports “disturbing.” “Without probable cause, there’s no excuse for the NSA to be compiling this type of data on American citizens who have done nothing wrong—particularly without their knowledge,” he said. “This amendment prevents the Defense Department from collecting ANY information about U.S. citizens within the country—no telephone records, no internet records, no physical locations—unless there is probable cause of a terrorism or criminal offense.”
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Rules will determine whether or not Grayson’s amendment may proceed to the House floor for a vote on Thursday or Friday.
I love Grayson.
My representative not only votes the way I would he introduces legislation and amendments I agree with too!