USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020

Reauthorizing Essential Protections

Passed the House on March 11, 2020

The USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 is an important piece of legislation that reauthorizes key provisions of the USA FREEDOM Act, which protects Americans' privacy from government surveillance.

The USA FREEDOM Act was passed in 2015 in response to the Edward Snowden revelations about the National Security Agency's widespread surveillance of Americans' communications. The act made a number of reforms to NSA surveillance programs, including requiring the government to obtain a warrant before collecting phone records and limiting the government's ability to collect Internet browsing data.

The USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 reauthorizes these key provisions through December 1, 2023. The act also makes some minor changes to the USA FREEDOM Act, including expanding the definition of "electronic communication" to include social media posts and other online communications.

The passage of the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020 is a victory for privacy advocates. The act ensures that important protections for Americans' privacy from government surveillance will remain in place.