New bill would delay Freedom Act; let NSA to keep storing Americans’ phone data
RT.com
18 Nov, 2015
A Republican senator from Arkansas has submitted a bill that would extend the NSA’s ability to collect Americans’ phone metadata by more than a year. Tom Cotton insisted the last week’s terror attacks in Paris proved the value of such spying activities.
Cotton introduced his bill, titled the Liberty Through Strength Act, on Tuesday, which proposes postponing the “transition timeline in the USA FREEDOM Act until after January 31, 2017.”
“If we take anything from the Paris attacks, it should be that vigilance and safety go hand-in-hand,” Cotton said in a statement. “Now is not the time to sacrifice our national security for political talking points. We should allow the Intelligence Community to do their job and provide them with the tools they need to keep us safe.”
Criticizing President Barack Obama’s “empty policy of tough talk and little action” towards Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), Cotton insisted the US would benefit from the National Security Agency’s data collection, both in its fight against terrorism and providing safety.
“Passing the Liberty Through Strength Act will empower the NSA to uncover threats against the United States and our allies, help keep terrorists out of the United States, and track down those responsible in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks,” Cotton said.
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