Congressman Biggs Demands Answers Over Invasive Surveillance Program

Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) at the White House, in response to a letter obtained from Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) to Attorney General Merrick Garland, detailing an invasive surveillance program titled the Hemisphere Project. This program, funded by ONDCP, provides government agents warrantless access to trillions of Americans' domestic communications records dating back decades, including callers’ Fourth Amendment-protected location information. As Congress considers renewal of Section 702 of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance ACT (FISA)—a similar type of spying tool which the federal government also continues to abuse—Congressman Biggs argues that the federal government’s surveillance laws require significant reform. 

“The federal government doesn’t care about your privacy and it’s long past time we end these abuses and hold rogue actors accountable,” said Congressman Biggs. 

“Just like with FISA 702, invasive federal agents have exploited the Hemisphere Project to assert control over innocent American citizens. This is occurring with ease due to massive loopholes in federal law. 

“I call on my colleagues to enact the civil liberties protections outlined in the bipartisan, bicameral Government Surveillance Reform Act.

“I look forward to hearing Dr. Gupta’s responses to the egregious abuses found in the Hemisphere Project.” 

The full letter may be read here.