WASHINGTON - The Reform Government Surveillance (RGS) coalition today released a statement following the U.S. Senate passing Section 702 reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

“Reform Government Surveillance is pleased that important provisions to ban ‘abouts’ collection, as well as to increase amici participation in FISA court proceedings, passed as part of this two-year reauthorization of FISA Section 702. RGS also applauds the improved transparency measures in the bill that include setting a declassification timeline for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court documents to six months. 

“Importantly, none of the other changes to the program under this legislation impact existing robust safeguards required under the Data Privacy Framework and Executive Order 14086, including the necessity, proportionality, and redress requirements for signals intelligence collection under FISA and other authorities.”