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Call to Action: January 4, 2018

PROTECT OUR PRIVACY FROM GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE

#Section702
#Surveillance

Congress’ latest continuing resolution extended Trump’s warrantless surveillance authority – which is dangerous in the hands of Trump and Attorney General Sessions. A key portion of this surveillance – Section 702 – expires mid-January. Congress has the opportunity to protect Americans’ privacy by either reforming Section 702 or letting it expire.

Presently, Section 702 authorizes collection of:
• overseas foreigners’ electronic communications, if looking for “foreign intelligence information”
• Americans’ “incidental” communications to/from/about those “targets,” which can chill First Amendment rights
• “backdoor searches” of database of Americans’ information/communications without even suspicion of wrongdoing – violating the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/10/usa-rights-act-protects-us-nsa-spying

USA RIGHTS Act (S.1997/H.R.4124), protects Americans’ privacy by prohibiting:
• collection of domestic communications and Americans’ communications merely mentioning a target
• warrantless “back door searches” for communications of/about Americans or persons inside U.S.
• use of Americans’ Section 702 data in criminal/civil/administrative proceedings, except for crimes directly related to national security
• “reverse targeting” of Americans, by requiring a warrant when targeting foreigners to collect communications of persons in U.S.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1997/text

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4124/text

Senators Wyden (author) and Merkley (cosponsor) must push for speedy passage of these reforms.

Stop Trump from spying on Americans he fears!

Wheres Walden?!

**ACTION 1: Call Congressman Walden and both Senators**
(Leave a message if you can’t get through.)

SAMPLE SCRIPT for Congressman Walden:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because I am concerned about Trump’s warrantless surveillance authority, “Section 702”. I urge Congressman Walden to cosponsor the bipartisan USA RIGHTS Act (H.R.4124) and to push for a vote. If this bill doesn’t pass, he must let Section 702 expire. We are counting on Congress to protect us from government overreach. Thank you.”

SAMPLE SCRIPT for Senators Wyden and Merkley:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am calling because I am concerned about Trump’s warrantless surveillance authority, “Section 702”. I want to thank the Senator for sponsoring the S.1997 USA RIGHTS Act and ask that he push for a vote on it. If this bill doesn’t pass, he must let Section 702 expire. We are counting on Congress to protect us from government overreach. Thank you.”

**ACTION 2: Share with Friends and Family**
Share this post with friends and family. Help them leave messages for their Congressional delegation about the USA RIGHTS Act and the need to curtail the government’s warrantless surveillance authority and unconstitutional spying powers permitted by FISA Section 702.

CONGRESSMAN GREG WALDEN 
DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646,
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
https://walden.house.gov/contact-greg/email-me

SENATOR MERKLEY 
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/

SENATOR WYDEN 
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/