the use of the FBI surveillance powers
After the 2016 elections, perhaps one of the things that President Donald Trump has been vocal about is the use of the FBI surveillance powers. President Trump asserts that the FBI infiltrated his campaign and wiretapped his former campaign advisor. The president has always declared his adamancy to have the laws regarding the FBI surveillance powers changed, especially with the implications it had on the Russia investigation. This article discusses the impact of the Bill that was passed by the House that preserved the surveillance powers of the FBI. The Bill extended three expiring FBI tools that were important in investigating terrorism and espionage. However, civil libertarians among the Democrats and Republicans asserted that it did not protect the privacy of civilians from intrusion by the government machinery. Interestingly, the Bill was passed by a majority with both parties coming together to extend the expiring tools. The House also expected a similar outcome from the Congress. However, it is somewhat unclear whether the president would sign the bill into law or request for more changes going by his sentiments on the aspect of FBI surveillance.
This is an article that tells of the way legislations are made in the United States. It shows how the House votes on a bill before it is passed to the Congress and gets to the point of the presidential assent. For instance, this vote got a majority vote in the House and was passed to the Congress. However, the fact that Congress may be going for a break implies that there is a need for quick action. The majority vote in the Senate may override objections. Notably, the article shows how the Senate and the House negotiate about bills and legislations. Reaching of consensus between the two houses would help in increasing the chances of the Bill passing in the Senate and reaching the president for assent. Nevertheless, the buck seems to stop with the president. The fact that the president has expressed discontent about how the FBI uses its surveillance powers seems to override the majority opinion on the Bill.
This article underscores some of the most vital aspects of America citizenry. The right to privacy that is alluded in the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States seems to be violated by the surveillance powers of the FBI. However, the same clause states that this right may be violated upon probable cause. In this light, the Bill seems to underline the aspect of probable cause that includes the protection of national security. National security is one of the most fundamental aspects of protecting the sovereignty of the United States. As such, the FISA rules are in force to ensure that there is no threat to national security and does so by implementing the powers to surveil the records of the citizens. However, it is evident that there is a need to balance the aspects of civilian privacy and to maintain national security.
In conclusion, this is an insightful article that not only shows how bills become legislations but also how government departments are affected by them. The article talks about one of the most critical aspects of the civilian population – respect to the privacy of the civilian population. It would be interesting to know the actions of the Senate in regards to the same and the decision of the president in regards to the same. In addition to that, it would also be quite essential to consider if the proposals listed would be deliberated in the review of the Bill.