Restore Our Privacy Act

Bill: 113-s-1168
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2013-06-13
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Business records

Congressional oversight

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Evidence and witnesses

Government information and archives

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2013-06-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-06-13
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Restore Our Privacy Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to authorize the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to apply for an order requiring the production of any tangible things only: (1) for an investigation to obtain foreign intelligence information not concerning a U.S. person; or (2) for an investigation concerning international terrorism (currently, to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities).</p> <p>Requires the application for such an order to include specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe (currently, a statement of facts showing that there are reasonable grounds to believe) that each tangible thing sought is relevant to an authorized investigation. </p> <p>Eliminates as presumptively relevant to such an investigation tangible things that pertain to an individual in contact with, or known to, a suspected agent of a foreign power who is the subject of such authorized investigation. Requires the judge, for each tangible thing to be released, to enter a finding that the Director has presented specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the thing is relevant to an authorized investigation (other than a threat assessment).</p> <p>Requires the Attorney General to: (1) fully inform Congress semiannually (currently, annually) concerning the total number of applications made for orders approving requests for the production of tangible things and the total number of such orders either granted, modified, or denied; (2) include in such information a description with respect to each application of the specific purpose for such production and an analysis of the effectiveness of each application that was granted or modified in protecting U.S. citizens against terrorism; and (3) make such information available to the public in a manner consistent with the protection of national security.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1168 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 13, 2013 Mr. Sanders introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to limit overbroad surveillance requests and expand reporting requirements and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Restore Our Privacy Act . 2. Limiting overbroad surveillance requests Section 501 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ( 50 U.S.C. 1861 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities, and inserting for an investigation concerning international terrorism which investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ; (2) in subsection (b)(2)(A)— (A) in the matter preceding clause (i)— (i) by striking a statement of facts showing that there are reasonable grounds and inserting specific and articulable facts giving reason ; (ii) by inserting each of before the tangible things ; (iii) by striking are and inserting is ; and (iv) by striking to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities, and inserting an investigation concerning international terrorism which investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ; (B) in clause (i), by adding or at the end; (C) in clause (ii), by striking or and inserting and ; and (D) by striking clause (iii); and (3) in subsection (c)(1), after “the release of tangible things.” by inserting For each tangible thing to be released, the judge shall enter a finding that the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Director’s designee has presented specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the thing is relevant to an authorized investigation (other than a threat assessment) conducted in accordance with subsection (a)(2) of this section to obtain foreign intelligence information not concerning a United States person or an investigation concerning international terrorism which investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. . 3. Expansion of reporting requirements under FISA Section 502 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ( 50 U.S.C. 1862 ) is amended by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c) and inserting the following: (a) On a semiannual basis, the Attorney General shall fully inform Congress concerning all requests for the production of tangible things under section 501, including with respect to the preceding 6-month period— (1) the total number of applications made for orders approving requests for the production of tangible things under section 501; and (2) the total number of such orders either granted, modified, or denied. (b) In informing Congress under subsection (a), the Attorney General shall include the following: (1) A description with respect to each application for an order requiring the production of any tangible things for the specific purpose for such production. (2) An analysis of the effectiveness of each application that was granted or modified in protecting citizens of the United States against terrorism. (c) In a manner consistent with the protection of the national security of the United States, the Attorney General shall make available to the public the information provided to Congress under subsection (a). .