May 07, 2015

Congresswoman Lee Applauds Appeals Court’s Ruling on Telephone Data Collection

Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Lee released the following statement regarding the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruling on the government's overly broad telephone metadata collection program:

"Today's ruling draws a clear line in the sand over the government's bulk collection and use of Americans’ telephone records.

The right to privacy is a fundamental American value and it is clear that the current bulk data collection endangers that right through the unconstrained use of new technologies.

I am glad the House Judiciary Committee removed this provision in the USA PATRIOT Act that will be coming forward in the House.

I have and will continue to oppose the broad invasion of ?Americans’ privacy authorized by the PATRIOT Act and other domestic surveillance programs.

Americans have and deserve an expectation of privacy."

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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the Whip’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.