End Warrantless Surveillance of Americans Act

Bill: 114-hr-2233
Sponsor: Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2]
Introduced: 2015-05-05 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Right of privacy
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2015-05-05
text: 

 
 

End Warrantless Surveillance of Americans Act

 
Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) and the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 to prohibit federal officers or employees from searching for a particular U.S. person (other than a corporation) in: (1) a collection of communications acquired under an authorization by the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence to target persons located outside the United States; or (2) nonpublic telephone or electronic communications, including communications in electronic storage, retained in an intelligence collection activity not authorized by court order, subpoena, or similar legal process that is reasonably anticipated to result in the acquisition of communications to or from a U.S. person without the consent of a party to the communication.
 
Provides exceptions that allow searches of such communications for a particular U.S. person if: (1) the U.S. person is the subject of certain orders or emergency authorizations for electronic surveillance or physical search under FISA or the federal criminal code for the effective period of that order, (2) the life or safety of such U.S. person is threatened and the information is sought for the purpose of assisting that person, or (3) the U.S. person consents. 
 
Prohibits a federal agency from requiring or requesting a manufacturer, developer, or seller of any computer hardware, software, or electronic device made available to the general public to design or alter the security functions in such products to allow the surveillance of any user or the physical search of such product by any agency. Exempts from such prohibition products used by law enforcement agencies for electronic surveillance as authorized under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-11
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E884)
action_date: 2015-06-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
action_date: 2015-05-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E679-680)
action_date: 2015-05-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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 concerned.
action_date: 2015-05-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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 concerned.
action_date: 2015-05-05
text: Referred to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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 concerned.
action_date: 2015-05-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-05-05
text: Introduced in House