Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Director Dan Coates seeking clarity on which individuals the intelligence community is targeting under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Amendments Act.
“As you know, later this year, Congress will consider the reauthorization of Section 702, which authorizes the collection, use, and dissemination of electronic communications content either stored by U.S. internet service providers or traveling across the internet’s backbone,” the letter reads. “Unlike traditional FISA surveillance, which requires individualized warrants, surveillance under Section 702 merely requires that the FISA Court approve broad categories of foreign intelligence information to be collected as well as the targeting and minimization procedures the government intends to employ.”
“As Congress considers reauthorization of this authority,” the letter continues, “we believe it is important that Congress and the American people have a better understanding of the general categories of individuals who can be targeted, particularly given that intelligence community leaders have repeatedly described Section 702 as a tool to target foreigners who threaten our national security.”
The letter requests Director Coats to “clarify the types of individuals and organizations that the intelligence community currently targets under Section 702” by October 25, 2017.
The full letter can be found here.
