Washington, DC — Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement after the Senate failed to advance its version of the USA FREEDOM Act. The measure would largely end the National Security Agency's bulk phone records collection program in favor of more targeted, individualized collection of information. In May, Himes voted with a majority of his colleagues to pass the House version of the legislation.
“The Senate’s bipartisan bill strikes an even better balance between privacy and national security than the House version of this important legislation. The NSA's bulk collection of Americans’ telephone call records is too broad and inconsistent with the values of a free country. While it is deeply disappointing that the Senate’s bipartisan effort did not move forward, we are moving in the right direction. I will continue working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to ensure we are better protecting Americans’ privacy and civil liberties, while providing for our national security.”