The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

By Ben Levin

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bipartisan amendment limiting the ability of the National Security Agency to spy on U.S. citizens.

The amendment passed 293-123, with a majority of both Democrats and Republicans voting for it.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from California, proposed and passed an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill closing off the “incidental” loophole in a late-night session.

Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed in 2013 that the NSA routinely collects intelligence on millions of U.S. citizens without a warrant. (See The Guardian)

The NSA’s reasoning, as approved by former President George W. Bush and maintained by President Obama, holds that as long as the “target” of a surveillance effort is a foreigner, any “incidental” intelligence gathered is fair game for the NSA. (Via Washington Times).

The agency’s logic has been criticized by politicians and civil liberty advocates such as Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Read more at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Watch: U.S. Congress passes amendment to limit NSA surveillance (Video by Newsy.com)

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