ACLU Praises Bill to Fix Controversial NSL Powers, Says FBI cannot be trusted to police itself

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: media@dcaclu.org

Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today praised the introduction of a bill by Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to fix the controversial National Security Letter (NSL) power, which was expanded by the Patriot Act and its reauthorization. The ACLU has challenged the NSL statute in two court cases and will be back in court on August 15 to continue the fight.

The following can be attributed to Michelle Richardson, lobbyist for the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

“The ACLU praises Representatives Nadler and Flake for their commitment to protecting our cherished civil liberties and hopes that both the House and Senate will act swiftly to enact this vital legislation. Their bill will realign NSL authorities with the Constitution and reaffirm that Americans can be both safe and free.”

“In March of this year, the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General issued a report on the use of NSLs and found serious abuses. This bill is a direct response to Inspector General’s report and is exactly the kind of action that defines our checks and balances. The report made clear that the FBI cannot be in charge of policing itself, so fixing the NSL statute must be a priority. ”

To learn more about the ACLU’s work around NSLs, go to:
www.aclu.org/nsl