Home > Legislative Issues > Mike on the Issues: Civil Liberties and Individual Freedoms

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Mike on Civil Liberties and Individual Freedoms

I am committed to protecting our civil liberties — one of the principles upon which our country was founded. In 2001, I was one of only 33 Members of Congress to oppose the USA PATRIOT Act. We must give law enforcement the tools they need to protect America. However, the PATRIOT Act went too far because it failed to protect our cherished civil liberties.

Like many of my constituents, I was deeply concerned by reports that the National Security Agency (NSA) was allegedly wiretapping phone calls of Americans without a warrant. I immediately reached out to a number of constitutional law scholars in the 8th District to learn their views on the constitutionality of this program and was not surprised that virtually every professor who responded believes this program is unconstitutional. If you are interested in learning their views, you may click here. I co-sponsored legislation in the 110th Congress that would establish a national independent commission to examine this issue, and joined a number of my colleagues in filing an Amicus brief with the federal courts considering it. Our intent was to make it clear that many Members of Congress believe this program has little basis in law or the Constitution.

I also opposed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which passed the House by a margin of 213-197. The original FISA legislation permitted wire-tapping with warrants obtained from judges in special courts who could examine evidence in camera, that is, in secret, if national security might be compromised by a discussion in open court. The new bill failed, in my opinion, to protect our citizens from unconstitutional intrusions, and although it made some improvements, I could not support it. In the last Congress, I cosponsored H.R. 104: To establish a national commission on presidential war powers and civil liberties. It called for an independent commission, with members appointed by the President and by leaders of both parties in the House and Senate, to investigate detention; "enhanced interrogation techniques;" "ghosting" or other policies intended to conceal an individual's capture or detention; extraordinary rendition; and domestic warrantless electronic surveillance.

I have also consistently fought to protect the fundamental civil rights of all Americans. The power of an individual's vote plays a crucial role in our democracy. I am proud to have co-sponsored the reauthorization of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965: the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 and am pleased that it is now the law of the land. I have also insisted that any reform of voting systems include the right of every citizen to demand a paper ballot.

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