Congressman Mike Pompeo (R-KS) delivered a brilliant lecture yesterday at the Hudson Institute on why Congress must extend the NSA metadata program before it expires at the end of this month. This program, which collects phone records but not the contents of phone calls, has been a useful counterterrorism tool that has helped stopped several terrorist attacks against the United States.
Pompeo discusses the objections to this program, why it does not violate the privacy of Americans, and how Congress has overseen it.
Pompeo reluctantly endorsed the USA Freedom Act of 2015 which extends the metadata program with significant restrictions. He prefers a “clean” extension of the metadata program but noted that this is not possible because of anti-NSA hysteria due to the Snowden leaks. The House passed this bill overwhelmingly on Wednesday by a vote of 338 to 88.
Pompeo’s explanation of the metadata program is one of the best I have heard. You can watch it below.
