NY Times: Senators should pass new law curtailing NSA spying

NY Times Op-Ed: New U.S.A. Freedom Act "represents a breakthrough in the struggle against the growth of government surveillance power." Do you think this is a step in the right direction? Article by the Editorial Board for the New York Times The Senate is about to begin debate on a bill that could, at long last, put an end to the indiscriminate bulk collection of Americans’ telephone records and bring needed transparency to the abusive spying programs that have tarnished the nation’s reputation.

NY Times Op-Ed: New U.S.A. Freedom Act "represents a breakthrough in the struggle against the growth of government surveillance power." Do you think this is a step in the right direction?

Article by the Editorial Board for the New York Times

The Senate is about to begin debate on a bill that could, at long last, put an end to the indiscriminate bulk collection of Americans’ telephone records and bring needed transparency to the abusive spying programs that have tarnished the nation’s reputation.

The bill, to be introduced on Tuesday by Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, is a significant improvement over the halfhearted measure passed by the House in May. That legislation was notable for putting even Republicans on the record in opposition to the broad domestic spying efforts of the intelligence agencies, but its final version was watered down at the insistence of the White House.

Mr. Leahy said at the time that he wanted to write a stronger bill, and, after negotiating with the White House, he has. Both bills would stop the flow of telephone data into the computers of the National Security Agency, keeping the information with the phone companies, where it belongs. But the Senate bill takes a major step in limiting how much of that data the N.S.A. can request.

- Read more at the New York Times