[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 62 (Friday, April 27, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H2253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRULY ORWELLIAN MEASURE

  (Mr. McCLINTOCK asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, under the Fourth Amendment, if the 
government wants to snoop through a person's email, it must first 
convince a judge that there's probable cause to believe that person has 
committed a crime, and it must specify the documents it believes are 
relevant to that charge.
  Yesterday, the House passed a measure that makes a mockery of this 
cherished protection. Under the guise of cybersecurity, it allows the 
government to pressure and cajole Internet providers to turn over their 
subscribers' data and for the government to then use that data without 
the consent or even the knowledge of the individuals affected for a 
wide variety of vague purposes unrelated to cybersecurity, all without 
a warrant.
  This is a truly Orwellian measure that our Bill of Rights was 
specifically written to prevent. I hope the House will have second 
thoughts as it reflects on the ramifications of this act.

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