Fourth Amendment Restoration Act
1/31/2025, 6:48 PMSummary of Bill HR 117
Bill 119 HR 117, also known as the "To repeal the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act," is a proposed piece of legislation in the US Congress. The bill aims to completely repeal the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was originally passed in 1978 to establish procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance of foreign powers and agents of foreign powers suspected of espionage or terrorism.The bill has garnered attention from both sides of the political spectrum, with supporters arguing that FISA has been abused by government agencies to conduct warrantless surveillance on American citizens. They believe that the act infringes on civil liberties and violates the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Opponents of the bill, however, argue that repealing FISA would weaken national security efforts and hinder the ability of intelligence agencies to gather crucial information on potential threats to the United States. They believe that FISA provides necessary tools for monitoring and preventing terrorist activities. If passed, Bill 119 HR 117 would effectively dismantle the legal framework for foreign intelligence surveillance in the United States. It is important to note that the bill is still in the early stages of the legislative process and may undergo revisions or amendments before potentially becoming law.
Congressional Summary of HR 117
Fourth Amendment Restoration Act
This bill repeals the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (which authorizes various types of searches and surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes) and limits surveillance of U.S. citizens.
The bill requires that an officer of the U.S. government obtain a warrant for certain search and surveillance activities against a U.S. citizen, including (1) conducting electronic surveillance, (2) conducting physical searches of property under a U.S. citizen's exclusive control, or (3) targeting a U.S. citizen to acquire foreign intelligence information.
The bill provides for criminal penalties for a person who intentionally (1) violates these requirements without statutory authorization, or (2) discloses or uses information that the person knows (or has a reason to know) was obtained under color of law by methods that violate these requirements.
Information about a U.S. citizen acquired under Executive Order 12333 (relating to intelligence gathering) or during surveillance of a non-U.S. citizen shall not be used against the U.S. citizen in any civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding or investigation.
