You may be outraged, as much of the Internet is, at the existence of PRISM. Revealed Thursday, the surveillance program allows the NSA to track much of the Internet’s activity.
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We still don’t know a lot of details about the program; all the explicit details come from five slides leaked to and published by the Guardian and the Washington Post. (They’ve not released the 36 other slides in their possession, citing national security concerns). Until then, PRISM was kept entirely secret from the public. But the law that allowed it was not. It just didn’t get a lot of attention.
Both President Obama and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper have stated that PRISM relies on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Created in 1978 and renewed every five years or so, FISA allows government agencies to track foreign communications with a secret court order. No warrant is necessary.
In 2008, Congress passed amendments to FISA that prevent those secret courts from even demanding probable cause for a surveillance request. The American Civil Liberties Union wrote at the time that the law “places no meaningful limits on the government’s retention and dissemination of information relating to U.S. citizens and residents.”
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In late 2012, despite the outcry of digital privacy and Fourth Amendment advocates, a bill to renew FISA for yet another five years passed the House of Representatives in September and the Senate in December. It was signed by President Obama on the evening of December 31, a Sunday.
The following are the members of Congress who voted to extend FISA, and by extension, enabled the PRISM program:
House (301 yeas)
| Name | State | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Gary Ackerman | N.Y. | D |
| Sandy Adams | Fla. | R |
| Robert Aderholt | Ala. | R |
| Rodney Alexander | La. | R |
| Jason Altmire | Pa. | D |
| Mark Amodei | Nev. | R |
| Steve Austria | Ohio | R |
| Joe Baca | Calif. | D |
| Michele Bachmann | Minn. | R |
| Spencer Bachus | Ala. | R |
| Ron Barber | Ariz. | D |
| Lou Barletta | Pa. | R |
| John Barrow | Ga. | D |
| Roscoe Bartlett | Md. | R |
| Joe Barton | Texas | R |
| Charles Bass | N.H. | R |
| Dan Benishek | Mich. | R |
| Rick Berg | N.D. | R |
| Shelley Berkley | Nev. | D |
| Howard Berman | Calif. | D |
| Judy Biggert | Ill. | R |
| Brian Bilbray | Calif. | R |
| Gus Bilirakis | Fla. | R |
| Sanford Bishop | Ga. | D |
| Tim Bishop | N.Y. | D |
| Rob Bishop | Utah | R |
| Diane Black | Tenn. | R |
| Marsha Blackburn | Tenn. | R |
| Jo Bonner | Ala. | R |
| Mary Bono Mack | Calif. | R |
| Dan Boren | Okla. | D |
| Leonard Boswell | Iowa | D |
| Charles Boustany | La. | R |
| Kevin Brady | Texas | R |
| Mo Brooks | Ala. | R |
| Vern Buchanan | Fla. | R |
| Larry Bucshon | IN | R |
| Ann Marie Buerkle | N.Y. | R |
| Michael Burgess | Texas | R |
| Dan Burton | IN | R |
| Ken Calvert | Calif. | R |
| Dave Camp | Mich. | R |
| John Campbell | Calif. | R |
| Quico Canseco | Texas | R |
| Eric Cantor | Va. | R |
| Shelley Moore Capito | W.Va. | R |
| Russ Carnahan | Mo. | D |
| John Carter | Texas | R |
| Bill Cassidy | La. | R |
| Kathy Castor | Fla. | D |
| Steve Chabot | Ohio | R |
| Jason Chaffetz | Utah | R |
| Ben Chandler | Ky. | D |
| David Cicilline | R.I. | D |
| Jim Clyburn | S.C. | D |
| Howard Coble | NC | R |
| Mike Coffman | Colo. | R |
| Tom Cole | Okla. | R |
| Mike Conaway | Texas | R |
| Gerry Connolly | Va. | D |
| Jim Cooper | Tenn. | D |
| Jim Costa | Calif. | D |
| Chip Cravaack | Minn. | R |
| Rick Crawford | Ark. | R |
| Ander Crenshaw | Fla. | R |
| Mike Critz | Pa. | D |
| Henry Cuellar | Texas | D |
| John Culberson | Texas | R |
| Jeff Denham | Calif. | R |
| Charlie Dent | Pa. | R |
| Scott DesJarlais | Tenn. | R |
| Ted Deutch | Fla. | D |
| Mario Diaz-Balart | Fla. | R |
| Norm Dicks | Wash. | D |
| Bob Dold | Ill. | R |
| Joe Donnelly | IN | D |
| David Dreier | Calif. | R |
| Sean Duffy | Wis. | R |
| Sean Duncan | Wis. | R |
| Renee Ellmers | NC | R |
| Jo Ann Emerson | Mo. | R |
| Blake Farenthold | Texas | R |
| Chaka Fattah | Pa. | D |
| Stephen Fincher | Tenn. | R |
| Mike Fitzpatrick | Pa. | R |
| Jeff Flake | Ariz. | R |
| Chuck Fleischmann | Tenn. | R |
| John Fleming | La. | R |
| Bill Flores | Texas | R |
| Randy Forbes | Va. | R |
| Jeff Fortenberry | Neb. | R |
| Virginia Foxx | NC | R |
| Trent Franks | Ariz. | R |
| Rodney Frelinghuysen | N.J. | R |
| Elton Gallegly | Calif. | R |
| John Garamendi | Calif. | D |
| Cory Gardner | Colo. | R |
| Scott Garrett | N.J. | R |
| Jim Gerlach | Pa. | R |
| Bob Gibbs | Ohio | R |
| Phil Gingrey | Ga. | R |
| Louie Gohmert | Texas | R |
| Charlie Gonzalez | Texas | D |
| Bob Goodlatte | Va. | R |
| Paul Gosar | Ariz. | R |
| Trey Gowdy | S.C. | R |
| Kay Granger | Texas | R |
| Tom Graves | Ga. | R |
| Sam Graves | Mo. | R |
| Al Green | Texas | D |
| Gene Green | Texas | D |
| Tim Griffin | Ark. | R |
| Morgan Griffith | Va. | R |
| Michael Grimm | N.Y. | R |
| Frank Guinta | N.H. | R |
| Brett Guthrie | Ky. | R |
| Luis Gutierrez | Ill. | D |
| Ralph Hall | Texas | R |
| Colleen Hanabusa | Hawaii | D |
| Richard Hanna | N.Y. | R |
| Gregg Harper | Miss. | R |
| Andy Harris | Md. | R |
| Vicky Hartzler | Mo. | R |
| Doc Hastings | Wash. | R |
| Nan Hayworth | N.Y. | R |
| Joe Heck | Nev. | R |
| Martin Heinrich | N.M. | D |
| Jeb Hensarling | Texas | R |
| Jamie Herrera Beutler | Wash. | R |
| Brian Higgins | N.Y. | D |
| Jim Himes | Conn. | D |
| Ruben Hinojosa | Texas | D |
| Kathy Hochul | N.Y. | D |
| Tim Holden | Pa. | D |
| Steny Hoyer | Md. | D |
| Tim Huelskamp | Kan. | R |
| Bill Huizenga | Mich. | R |
| Randy Hultgren | Ill. | R |
| Duncan Hunter | Calif. | R |
| Robert Hurt | Va. | R |
| Darrell Issa | Calif. | R |
| Lynn Jenkins | Kan. | R |
| Bill Johnson | Ohio | R |
| Sam Johnson | Texas | R |
| Jim Jordan | Ohio | R |
| Marcy Kaptur | Ohio | D |
| Mike Kelly | Pa. | R |
| Steve King | Iowa | R |
| Peter King | N.Y. | R |
| Jack Kingston | Ga. | R |
| Adam Kinzinger | Ill. | R |
| Larry Kissell | NC | D |
| John Kline | Minn. | R |
| Raul Labrador | Idaho | R |
| Doug Lamborn | Colo. | R |
| Leonard Lance | N.J. | R |
| Jeff Landry | La. | R |
| James Langevin | R.I. | D |
| James Lankford | Okla. | R |
| Tom Latham | Iowa | R |
| Steven LaTourette | Ohio | R |
| Bob Latta | Ohio | R |
| Sander Levin | Mich. | D |
| Jerry Lewis | Calif. | R |
| Dan Lipinski | Ill. | D |
| Frank LoBiondo | N.J. | R |
| Dave Loebsack | Iowa | D |
| Billy Long | Mo. | R |
| Nita Lowey | N.Y. | D |
| Frank Lucas | Okla. | R |
| Blaine Luetkemeyer | Mo. | R |
| Ben Luján | N.M. | D |
| Cynthia Lummis | Wyo. | R |
| Dan Lungren | Calif. | R |
| Stephen Lynch | Mass. | D |
| Connie Mack | Fla. | R |
| Donald Manzullo | Ill. | R |
| Kenny Marchant | Texas | R |
| Tom Marino | Pa. | R |
| Jim Matheson | Utah | D |
| Kevin McCarthy | Calif. | R |
| Carolyn McCarthy | N.Y. | D |
| Mike McCaul | Texas | R |
| Patrick McHenry | NC | R |
| Mike McIntyre | NC | D |
| Buck McKeon | Calif. | R |
| David McKinley | W.Va. | R |
| Cathy McMorris Rodgers | Wash. | R |
| Jerry McNerney | Calif. | D |
| Pat Meehan | Pa. | R |
| John Mica | Fla. | R |
| Jeff Miller | Fla. | R |
| Candice Miller | Mich. | R |
| Brad Miller | NC | D |
| Gary Miller | Calif. | R |
| Mick Mulvaney | S.C. | R |
| Tim Murphy | Pa. | R |
| Sue Myrick | NC | R |
| Randy Neugebauer | Texas | R |
| Kristi Noem | S.D. | R |
| Rich Nugent | Fla. | R |
| Devin Nunes | Calif. | R |
| Alan Nunnelee | Miss. | R |
| Pete Olson | Texas | R |
| Steven Palazzo | Miss. | R |
| Erik Paulsen | Minn. | R |
| Steve Pearce | N.M. | R |
| Nancy Pelosi | Calif. | D |
| Mike Pence | IN | R |
| Ed Perlmutter | Colo. | D |
| Gary Peters | Mich. | D |
| Collin Peterson | Minn. | D |
| Tom Petri | Wis. | R |
| Joe Pitts | Pa. | R |
| Todd Platts | Pa. | R |
| Ted Poe | Texas | R |
| Mike Pompeo | Kan. | R |
| Bill Posey | Fla. | R |
| Tom Price | Ga. | R |
| Ben Quayle | Ariz. | R |
| Michael Quigley | Ill. | D |
| Nick Rahall | W.Va. | D |
| Tom Reed | N.Y. | R |
| Denny Rehberg | MT | R |
| Dave Reichert | Wash. | R |
| Jim Renacci | Ohio | R |
| Silvestre Reyes | Texas | D |
| Reid Ribble | Wis. | R |
| Cedric Richmond | La. | D |
| Scott Rigell | Va. | R |
| David Rivera | Fla. | R |
| Martha Roby | Al | R |
| Phil Roe | Tenn. | R |
| Mike Rogers | Ala. | R |
| Hal Rogers | Ky. | R |
| Mike Rogers | Mich. | R |
| Dana Rohrabacher | Calif. | R |
| Todd Rokita | IN | R |
| Tom Rooney | Fla. | R |
| Ileana Ros-Lehtinen | Fla. | R |
| Peter Roskam | Ill. | R |
| Mike Ross | Ark. | D |
| Dennis Ross | Fla. | R |
| Steven Rothman | N.J. | D |
| Ed Royce | Calif. | R |
| Jon Runyan | N.J. | R |
| Dutch Ruppersberger | Md. | D |
| Tim Ryan | Ohio | D |
| Steve Scalise | La. | R |
| Adam Schiff | Calif. | D |
| Bobby Schilling | Ill. | R |
| Jean Schmidt | Ohio | R |
| Aaron Schock | Ill. | R |
| Allyson Schwartz | Pa. | D |
| David Schweikert | Ariz. | R |
| Tim Scott | S.C. | R |
| Austin Scott | Ga. | R |
| David Scott | Ga. | D |
| James Sensenbrenner | Wis. | R |
| Pete Sessions | Texas | R |
| Terri Sewell | Ala. | D |
| Brad Sherman | Calif. | D |
| John Shimkus | Ill. | R |
| Heath Shuler | NC | D |
| Bill Shuster | Pa. | R |
| Mike Simpson | Idaho | R |
| Albio Sires | N.J. | D |
| Adrian Smith | Neb. | R |
| Christopher Smith | N.J. | R |
| Lamar Smith | Texas | R |
| Adam Smith | Wash. | D |
| Steve Southerland | Fla. | R |
| Cliff Stearns | Fla. | R |
| Steve Stivers | Ohio | R |
| Marlin Stutzman | IN | R |
| John Sullivan | Okla. | R |
| Lee Terry | Neb. | R |
| Mike Thompson | Calif. | D |
| Glenn Thompson | Pa. | R |
| Mac Thornberry | Texas | R |
| Patrick Tiberi | Ohio | R |
| Scott Tipton | Colo. | R |
| Bob Turner | N.Y. | R |
| Michael Turner | Ohio | R |
| Fred Upton | Mich. | R |
| Tim Walberg | Mich. | R |
| Greg Walden | Ore. | R |
| Joe Walsh | Ill. | R |
| Daniel Webster | Fla. | R |
| Allen West | Fla. | R |
| Lynn Westmoreland | Ga. | R |
| Ed Whitfield | Ky. | R |
| Joe Wilson | S.C. | R |
| Rob Wittman | Va. | R |
| Frank Wolf | Va. | R |
| Steve Womack | Ark. | R |
| Rob Woodall | Ark. | R |
| John Yarmuth | Ky. | D |
| Kevin Yoder | Kan. | R |
| Bill Young | Fla. | R |
| Todd Young | IN | R |
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Senate (73 yeas)
| Name | State | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Rodney Alexander | Tenn. | R |
| Kelly Ayotte | N.H. | R |
| John Barrasso | Wyo. | R |
| Michael Bennet | Colo. | D |
| Richard Blumenthal | Conn. | D |
| Roy Blunt | Mo. | R |
| John Boozman | Ark. | R |
| Scott Brown | Mass. | R |
| Richard Burr | NC | R |
| Ben Cardin | Md. | D |
| Tom Carper | Del. | D |
| Bob Casey | Pa. | D |
| Saxy Chambliss | Ga. | R |
| Dan Coats | IN | R |
| Tom Coburn | Okla. | R |
| Thad Cochran | Miss. | R |
| Susan Collins | Maine | R |
| Kent Conrad | N.D. | D |
| Bob Corker | Tenn. | R |
| John Cornyn | Texas | R |
| Mike Crapo | Idaho | R |
| Mike Enzi | Wyo. | R |
| Dianne Feinstein | Calif. | D |
| Kristen Gillibrand | N.Y. | D |
| Lindsey Graham | S.C. | R |
| Chuck Grassley | Iowa | R |
| Kay Hagan | NC | D |
| Orinn Hatch | Utah | R |
| Dean Heller | Nev. | R |
| John Hoeven | N.D. | R |
| Kay Bailey Hutchison | Texas | R |
| Jim Inhofe | Okla. | R |
| Johnny Isakson | Ga. | R |
| Mike Johanns | Neb. | R |
| Tim Johnson | S.D. | D |
| Ron Johnson | Wis. | R |
| John Kerry | Mass. | D |
| Amy Klobuchar | Minn. | D |
| Herb Kohl | Wis. | D |
| Jon Kyl | Ariz. | R |
| Mary Landrieu | La. | D |
| Carl Levin | Mich. | D |
| Joe Lieberman | Conn. | I |
| Richard Lugar | IN | R |
| Joe Manchin | W.Va. | D |
| John McCain | Ariz. | R |
| Claire McCaskill | Mo. | D |
| Mitch McConnell | Ky. | R |
| Barbara Mikulski | Md. | D |
| Jerry Moran | Kan. | R |
| Bill Nelson | Fla. | D |
| Ben Nelson | Neb. | D |
| Rob Portman | Ohio | R |
| Mark Pryor | Ark. | D |
| Jack Reed | R.I. | D |
| Harry Reid | Nev. | D |
| Jim Risch | Idaho | R |
| Pat Roberts | Kan. | R |
| Jay Rockefeller | W.Va. | D |
| Marco Rubio | Fla. | R |
| Chuck Schumer | N.Y. | D |
| Jeff Sessions | Ala. | R |
| Jeanne Shaheen | N.H. | D |
| Richard Shelby | Ala. | R |
| Olympia Snowe | Maine | R |
| Debbie Stabenow | Mich. | D |
| John Thune | S.D. | R |
| Pat Toomey | Pa. | R |
| David Vitter | La. | R |
| Mark Warner | Va. | D |
| Jim Webb | Va. | D |
| Sheldon Whitehouse | R.I. | D |
| Roger Wicker | Miss. | R |
Photo via BCCHS Library. Remix by Fernando Alfonso III
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