Blumenthal Statement On White House Review Group Recommendations On Intelligence, Communications Technologies

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued the following statement after the White House released recommendations from the Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies to reform the nation’s broad surveillance laws:

“This report is a clarion call for intelligence program reform – powerfully boosting the credibility and momentum of sweeping, fundamental change. It specifically endorses my Special Advocate proposal to assure that privacy rights and civil liberties are protected through a genuine adversarial proceeding. Also, it urges significant change in the selection of FISA Court members to assure greater diversity in ideological perspective, background, and geography. Greater transparency, making public more rulings and opinions, is another key, necessary recommendation that I and others have urged. Overall, the report recognizes a fundamental truth: Reform is vital to restore and retain public confidence and trust in our intelligence programs. Doubt, suspicion, and distrust will only deepen, and jeopardize our democracy without reform.”