July 21, 2023

Wyden Statement on FISA 702 Document Declassification

Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement today on FISA 702 document declassification:

“For years, as government officials have provided misleadingly narrow testimony about who is targeted under Section 702, I have pushed to get the government to come clean.  The revelation that 702 is used against ‘foreign governments and related entities’ directly impacts Americans’ privacy, as American journalists, businesspeople, students and others all have legitimate reason to communicate with foreign governments. The fact they can be swept up in 702 collection further highlights the need for reforms to protect their privacy.

“While I commend the administration for these releases, it remains the case that information the public needs in advance of 702 reauthorization has been unnecessarily redacted.”

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