WASHINGTON, November 19 (Sputnik) – The US Senate decision to strike down legislation aimed at stopping the National Security Agency’s (NSA) bulk data collection program will allow the government to continue violating the constitutional rights of US citizens, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) told Sputnik on Wednesday.
“Allowing NSA surveillance to continue unchecked does real harm to Americans. Constant surveillance violates the Fourth Amendment [right to privacy], chills free speech, imperils freedom of the press, and is an affront to the Constitution,” director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office Laura W. Murphy said.
The ACLU, one of the nation’s leading privacy protection groups, is disappointed that the bipartisan act was rejected, especially considering it had the support of US President Barack Obama, the Director of National Intelligence, the business community and a coalition of groups of all political leanings, Murphy added.
Murphy, while denouncing the decision, also indicated that this would not discourage efforts to reform the country’s surveillance systems.
“The Senate voted to maintain a status quo that undermines American technology and consumer privacy and hampers innovation. Though this vote is a setback, it will not stop the push for reform,” Murphy said.
The US Senate voted 58-42 on Tuesday against the USA Freedom Act which would have ended the NSA’s collection of American citizens' phone records. The bill needed 60 votes to pass through the 100-member Senate.
The NSA’s bulk collection of phone records was first brought to light by former NSA employee Edward Snowden, who released secret documents to journalists, which ignited a worldwide debate over mass surveillance and the need to strike a balance between privacy and security.
