FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 12, 2020
 Contact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement as the U.S. Senate adjourned for the weekend, guaranteeing certain Patriot Act provisions will expire on March 15:

“As President Trump has repeatedly stated, we should not reauthorize these expiring surveillance powers without real reform. After all we have learned about how government has abused its authority, including spying on President Trump’s 2016 campaign, neither a clean extension nor the window dressing offered by the U.S. House, which will not stop future abuses, are acceptable. While the House tells us to trust government to police itself, I prefer instead to trust the Founders’ guidance in the Bill of Rights.”

Reauthorizing the expiring provisions would permit government to continue infringing on Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights, as the provisions enable ­— on the authority of a secret court — spying on Americans without due process.

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