Sen. Wyden Proposes Warrant Requirement for Government Searches of American Communications
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for review. It is actively moving through the system, but no further votes or hearings have been scheduled yet. There is no companion bill listed at this time.
While there is strong support for privacy, similar warrant requirements have historically faced heavy opposition from national security leaders in both parties.
Federal intelligence and law enforcement employees would face significant new restrictions on how they search Section 702 surveillance data. They would need to obtain a warrant before accessing information about Americans, create detailed electronic records for every query, and provide written justifications tied to a foreign intelligence purpose. This adds procedural steps but also provides clearer legal guidelines for agents to follow.
“No officer or employee of the Federal Government may conduct a query, or access covered information returned in response to a covered query, unless an electronic record is created”
Read twice and referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
A key U.S. foreign surveillance law is set to expire at midnight on Friday as lawmakers remain deadlocked over privacy reforms. Bipartisan critics are demanding a warrant requirement to protect Americans' data swept up in foreign intelligence collection.
During a Senate hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the bureau purchases commercially available location data. The admission has intensified the push for the Government Surveillance Reform Act, which would require warrants for such data and for searches of Americans' communications.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
A bill to implement reforms relating to foreign intelligence surveillance authorities, protections relating to warrantless queries for the communications of United States persons, and for other purposes.
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