Earlier this year I told you that one of my top priorities this Congress is getting to the bottom of the rampant weaponization of our federal agencies and federal bureaucrats’ abuse of power over the American people, specifically in our intelligence agencies, like the FBI, DOJ, and DHS.

It’s no secret that the FBI in particular has picked up some bad habits over the past few years, from classifying concerned parents as “domestic terrorists” for speaking out at school board meetings, to intimidating whistleblowers, and spying on American citizens private communications without a warrant.

It's alarming to say the least.

You would think with a name like the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, it would be used for gathering foreign intelligence.

Unfortunately, you would be wrong.

Although its intended purpose was for foreign intelligence, in recent years it has become one of the FBI’s secret weapons – until they got caught abusing it.

FISA allows the federal government to intercept communications of non-U.S. citizens who are located in a foreign country. But often times the communications of Americans are swept up in the process, kept by intelligence agencies, and then accessed without a warrant.

In 2021, the FBI used FISA to conduct a whopping 3.4 million warrantless searches on America citizens – giving them access to their private communications without ever realizing it. This type of backdoor snooping allows for rampant abuse of the FISA and the constitutional rights of Americans.

We have the 4th Amendment for a reason – the FBI should not get a hall pass to sidestep the Constitution. That’s why I cosponsored H.R. 6570, the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act (PLEWSA).

PLEWSA reforms Section 702 of FISA by requiring a warrant for all searches of U.S. citizens. It also reforms the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and closes loopholes that allow the federal government to purchase Americans’ data from Big Tech companies without a warrant.

House Republicans are making it clear: We are committed to seeking accountability and preventing further government overreach against you, the American people.

This week PLEWSA passed out of the House Judiciary Committee this week on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 35-2. I was pleased to support this legislation and I look forward to seeing it come to the House Floor.