The U.S. Senate could begin consideration of H.R. 6172, legislation reauthorizing three of the most dangerous provisions of the USA Freedom Act (previously known as the USA Patriot Act) as early as tomorrow.

One part of the law up for renewal is Section 215. Often referred to as the “Deep State’s Crown Jewel,” Section 215 is the provision of law federal agencies claim gives them the authority to conduct the mass surveillance and bulk data collection programs revealed by Edward Snowden in 2013.

With the Senate likely to start debate on the bill and amendments sometime after 3 p.m. ET and start voting as early as tomorrow, we do not have a moment to lose.

So please call your senators now and tell them to vote NO on H.R. 6172, the legislation reauthorizing the expiring provisions of the so-called USA Freedom Act.

There are several amendments being offered which will make the bill better even if it passes against our objections, so tell your senators to vote YES on both the Wyden-Daines and Paul Amendments to H.R. 6172.

If you can only leave a voicemail, do that, and then call back later to talk to a staff member.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) are offering an amendment which would require federal agents to obtain a warrant before collecting Americans’ Internet browsing and search history.

Internet browsing history can reveal personal information about an individual . . . information the government has no right to know unless they have probable cause to believe that information is relevant to a criminal investigation. The Wyden-Daines Amendment would require the government to present probable cause to a court prior to getting access to your Internet browsing history.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has an amendment that would forbid the use of the FISA court to obtain permission to spy on any American citizens.  Instead, federal agencies would have to go before a federal court and obtain a warrant.

Since its creation in 1978, the FISA court has served as little more than a rubber-stamp for federal agents seeking a way around the Constitution’s requirement that they obtain a warrant before spying on American citizens. 

So, no senator has any excuse to vote to allow the FISA court to continue to be used to get around the Fourth Amendment!

The Wyden-Daines and Paul Amendments are good steps toward rolling-back the surveillance state. However, even if these amendments pass, H.R. 6172 still gives snoop state bureaucrats power to “monitor” our online activity and our personal and professional activities.

For instance, the bill reauthorizes roving wiretaps, where a warrant is issued to collect information on any device a suspect may use — even information of other users of the device.

So, if you are at a hotel with someone under surveillance and you both use the hotel’s business center computer, your online activities will be collected by the federal government, and you may even be a target of government surveillance. Just being on the same wireless network as a suspect at the hotel could result in your data being captured by the government.

There’s also the “lone wolf” provision that allows federal agents to conduct warrantless surveillance on an American citizen even though they have no known or suspected ties to any terrorist organizations!

So please call your senators now and tell them to vote YES for the Wyden-Daines and Paul Amendments, and NO on final passage of H.R. 6172, regardless of whether the amendments pass or not.

Make sure you forward this message to your family and friends so they can contact their senators and tell them to oppose H.R. 6172.

In the almost 20 years since the original USA Patriot Act become law, warrantless wiretapping and mass surveillance have not stopped a single terrorist attack.

What they have done is allow federal officials to collect data on their ex-wives, husband, lovers, and ”significant others.” This practice was so common it was even given a nickname by agents: LOVEINT.

It is also good for targeting proclaimed enemies of the Deep State, like General Michael Flynn.

If they would be so brazen as to target government officials as part of a plot to remove a sitting president, what is to keep then from targeting anyone who challenges their power?

Simply posting something on social media in defiance of the accepted “wisdom” of the Deep State could land you in the same position as General Michael Flynn, Patriot.

Passing the Wyden-Daines and Paul Amendments and then defeating H.R. 6172 would force Deep State apologists like Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Lindsey Graham, and Adam Schiff to end their love affair with the surveillance state, and it would bind the federal surveillance state with the chains of the Constitution.

So please call your senators and tell them to vote for the Wyden-Daines and Paul Amendments and vote against final passage of H.R. 6172.

And please chip-in $100, $75, $50, $25 or whatever you can afford to help Campaign for Liberty fight against the surveillance state.

Votes may start as soon as tomorrow so call now!

Norm Singleton

P.S. Call your senators now and tell them to vote NO on H.R. 6172.  It’s time for our government to follow the Constitution and stop ignoring the law!  Tell them to vote YES on the Wyden-Daines and Paul Amendments and NO on H.R. 6172.