Austin News

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) expressed his support for the House-passed legislation to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, emphasizing the importance of reforms to prevent illegal targeting of Americans. Cornyn highlighted the positive impact of Section 702 in identifying threats against U.S. troops and combating various crimes. He also stressed the need for safeguards to ensure the lawful use of surveillance authority.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Cornyn stated, “Information acquired through Section 702 has helped identify threats against U.S. troops and to thwart planned terrorist attacks abroad and here at home.” He further noted, “It’s helped to understand and combat fentanyl trafficking, identify foreign ransomware attacks… and uncover war crimes and gruesome atrocities.”

Acknowledging concerns about past misuse of surveillance authority, Cornyn remarked, “In recent years, the public has learned about extremely concerning uses of this authority that go far beyond what Congress has authorized.” He clarified that targeting American citizens within the U.S. is strictly prohibited under Section 702 and called for prosecution of any illegal targeting.

Cornyn emphasized the necessity of obtaining warrants for targeting individuals, stating, “The intelligence community cannot target anyone they believe to be a U.S. person, nor can they target a foreigner with the pretext of getting American citizens’ data. For that, you need a warrant.” He also highlighted the legal compliance of the Section 702 program with the Fourth Amendment, citing court rulings in support.

Referring to successful reforms voluntarily implemented by the FBI in 2021 and now integrated into the House reform bill, Cornyn emphasized the effectiveness of these changes. He underscored the importance of codifying these reforms to ensure continued adherence to legal standards and protection of Americans' rights.