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A bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to clarify and improve the procedures and accountability for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, to extend title VII of such Act, to ensure that the barriers to sharing critical foreign intelligence among the intelligence community that existed before September 11, 2001, are not reimposed, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-2158| Senate 
| Updated: 11/16/2017
Mike Lee

Mike Lee

Republican Senator

Utah

Cosponsors (1)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democratic)

Homeland Security Committee, Judiciary Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Uniting and Strengthening American Liberty Act of 2017 or the USA Liberty Act of 2017 This bill amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to allow the contents of communications by persons outside of the United States to be accessed if the Department of Justice (DOJ) determines there is probable cause to believe that those contents may provide evidence of a crime or that such persons are agents of a foreign power. Noncontent communication information may be accessed only if DOJ determines that the noncontent information is relevant to an authorized investigation or assessment. DOJ must establish specific procedures when unmasking information is requested. (Unmasking means providing the identity of a U.S. person mentioned in an intelligence report that contains a reference to the person but does not identify the person.) The National Security Act of 1947 is amended to prevent federal employees from taking any personnel action against a contractor employee who has made a lawful disclosure of information that the contractor employee believes provides evidence of a violation of federal law or mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. The bill extends to September 30, 2023, the authorization of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows DOJ and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to jointly authorize the electronic surveillance of non-U.S. persons who are outside the United States. The bill increases the criminal penalty (from one to up to five years imprisonment) for knowingly removing classified information without authority and with intent to retain such information at an unauthorized location. The bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study the unauthorized disclosure of classified information and the U.S. classification system.
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Timeline
Nov 8, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-3989
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 8.
Nov 16, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Nov 16, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • November 8, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-3989
    Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 8.


  • November 16, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • November 16, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Bills

  • HR 115-3989: To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to clarify and improve the procedures and accountability for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, to extend title VII of such Act, to ensure that the barriers to sharing critical foreign intelligence among the intelligence community that existed before September 11, 2001, are not reimposed, and for other purposes.

A bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to clarify and improve the procedures and accountability for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, to extend title VII of such Act, to ensure that the barriers to sharing critical foreign intelligence among the intelligence community that existed before September 11, 2001, are not reimposed, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-2158| Senate 
| Updated: 11/16/2017
Uniting and Strengthening American Liberty Act of 2017 or the USA Liberty Act of 2017 This bill amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to allow the contents of communications by persons outside of the United States to be accessed if the Department of Justice (DOJ) determines there is probable cause to believe that those contents may provide evidence of a crime or that such persons are agents of a foreign power. Noncontent communication information may be accessed only if DOJ determines that the noncontent information is relevant to an authorized investigation or assessment. DOJ must establish specific procedures when unmasking information is requested. (Unmasking means providing the identity of a U.S. person mentioned in an intelligence report that contains a reference to the person but does not identify the person.) The National Security Act of 1947 is amended to prevent federal employees from taking any personnel action against a contractor employee who has made a lawful disclosure of information that the contractor employee believes provides evidence of a violation of federal law or mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. The bill extends to September 30, 2023, the authorization of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows DOJ and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to jointly authorize the electronic surveillance of non-U.S. persons who are outside the United States. The bill increases the criminal penalty (from one to up to five years imprisonment) for knowingly removing classified information without authority and with intent to retain such information at an unauthorized location. The bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study the unauthorized disclosure of classified information and the U.S. classification system.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Nov 8, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-3989
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 8.
Nov 16, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Nov 16, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  • November 8, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-3989
    Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 8.


  • November 16, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • November 16, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mike Lee

Mike Lee

Republican Senator

Utah

Cosponsors (1)
Patrick J. Leahy (Democratic)

Homeland Security Committee, Judiciary Committee

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Bills

  • HR 115-3989: To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to clarify and improve the procedures and accountability for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, to extend title VII of such Act, to ensure that the barriers to sharing critical foreign intelligence among the intelligence community that existed before September 11, 2001, are not reimposed, and for other purposes.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted