US Congress curbs NSA surveillance; Obama signs into law

President Barack Obama signed into law landmark legislation ending the government’s bulk telephone data dragnet, significantly reversing American policy by reining in the most controversial surveillance program since 9/11. The bill was given final passage earlier Tuesday by the US Senate, after being approved by the House several days earlier. The measure reauthorizes key national security programs that had lapsed early this week.

Glad the Senate finally passed the USA Freedom Act. It protects civil liberties and our national security.

President Barack Obama said on Twitter

The bill halts the National Security Agency’s ability to scoop up and store metadata – telephone numbers, dates and times of calls – from millions of Americans who have no connection to terrorism. It shifts responsibility for storing the data to telephone companies, allowing authorities to access the information only with a warrant from a secret counterterror court that identifies a specific person or group of people suspected of terror ties.

Americas Freedom act