IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1162 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal 
Government should drop all charges against Edward Snowden. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 
Ms. GABBARD (for herself and Mr. GAETZ) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Federal Government should drop all charges against 
Edward Snowden. 
Whereas, during a Senate hearing on March 12, 2013, James 
Clapper, then-Director of National Intelligence, was ques-
tioned by Senator Ron Wyden, and was asked whether 
the National Security Agency ‘‘collect[ed] any type of 
data at all on millions, or hundreds of millions of Ameri-
cans’’, to which Clapper replied ‘‘No, sir’’, and added 
‘‘not wittingly’’, a response he later admitted was ‘‘clearly 
erroneous’’; 
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•HRES 1162 IH 
Whereas, in June 2013, Edward Snowden disclosed to a se-
lective group of journalists National Security Agency doc-
uments exposing that bulk collection of Americans’ tele-
phone records from telecommunications providers by the 
intelligence community was occurring; 
Whereas, on June 21, 2013, the Department of Justice un-
sealed charges against Edward Snowden for violating sec-
tions 793(d) and 798(a)(3) of the Espionage Act and 
theft of government property under section 641 of title 
18, United States Code; 
Whereas, on January 23, 2014, the Privacy and Civil Lib-
erties Oversight Board’s report on the National Security 
Agency’s telephone records program found ‘‘no instance 
in which the program directly contributed to the dis-
covery of a previously unknown terrorist plot or the dis-
ruption of a terrorist attack’’ and that the program sig-
nificantly threatened and violated the constitutional 
rights of the American people; 
Whereas, on May 7, 2015, the United States Court of Ap-
peals for the Second Circuit ruled that section 215 of the 
Patriot Act did not authorize the bulk collection of tele-
phone records and therefore such collection was unlawful; 
Whereas, on September 2, 2020, the United States Court of 
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled the National Security 
Agency’s telephone records bulk collection program illegal 
and possibly unconstitutional under the Fourth Amend-
ment; 
Whereas the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth 
Circuit found the telephone records bulk collection pro-
gram did not play a pivotal role in any terrorism inves-
tigations; 
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•HRES 1162 IH 
Whereas those involved in the collection of Americans’ tele-
phone records have yet to be held accountable for their 
illegal actions, further increasing the danger of continued 
government overreach and abuse of civil liberties; and 
Whereas the United States Government must protect whistle-
blowers who expose illegal and unconstitutional acts of 
abuse within our government: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) the National Security Agency’s bulk collec-
tion telephone records program was illegal and un-
constitutional; 
(2) Edward Snowden’s disclosure of this pro-
gram to journalists was in the public interest; and 
(3) the Federal Government should drop all 
charges against Edward Snowden. 
Æ 
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