It's time to vote on USA Freedom Act, Sen. Lee says


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SALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Mike Lee is pushing for legislation to end the National Security Agency's bulk collection of Americans' phone records before the Patriot Act expires a week from Sunday.

But the Utah Republican said some in Congress and others want to punt on a day they know has been coming for four years.

"The day of putting this off has got to come to an end. We've got to deal with it now and we need to protect the privacy and the security of the American people. My bill would do that," Lee said Friday on KSL Newradio's "Doug Wright Show."

Lee said he's been on the phone constantly the past three days urging Democrats and Republicans to bring the USA Freedom Act up for a vote, which didn't appear likely Friday.

The bill would renew key provisions of the Patriot Act that cover surveillance gaps that were exposed in the 9/11 attacks. But it also aims to end bulk phone data collection, increase transparency and create additional judicial safeguards to protect 4th Amendment rights.

"Our privacy is not in conflict with our security. Our privacy is itself part of our security," Lee said, citing the president's bipartisan Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.

Utah's junior senator took issue with comments New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie made in expressing support for extending the Patriot Act. Christie, a GOP presidential hopeful, told supporters in New Hampshire that "you can't enjoy our civil liberties if you're in a coffin."


The day of putting this off has got to come to an end. We've got to deal with it now and we need to protect the privacy and the security of the American people. My bill would do that.

–Sen. Mike Lee


Lee said he found the remark "really disappointing" and reflects "governing by fear and governing by false choice."

"I find that statement unacceptable. I think that is an act of shameless pandering to the electorate to say you have to choose between privacy and a coffin," he said.

Lee told CNN that Christie's comments were "tantamount to political pornography" and said the governor "should be ashamed of himself."

The House overwhelmingly passed the USA Freedom Act last week and adjourned Thursday, leaving the Senate two choices: approve the same bill or let the Patriot Act expire.

But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed the House bill Friday, saying terroristic tactics and the nature of the threats have changed.

“At a moment of elevated threat, it would be a mistake to take from our intelligence community any — any — of the valuable tools needed to build a complete picture of terrorist networks and their plans, such as the bulk data collection program," he said on the Senate floor. "The intelligence community needs these tools to protect us from these attacks."

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Dennis Romboy

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