CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE CALLS FOR PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION REDUCING THE NUMBER OF FOR-PROFIT PRIVATE CONTRACTORS ENGAGED IN THE CONDUCT OF INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, released the following statement regarding the need for legislative reform and increased congressional oversight of the National Security Agency and its controversial surveillance program that collects millions of Americans' telephone records:

“The steady trickle of revelations that began in June about the NSA surveillance program has revealed alarming details about what appears to be the most intrusive and secretive program in American history.

“As a senior member of the House Committees on the Judiciary and Homeland Security, I have worked for years to ensure that our national policies and programs strike the proper balance between security and liberty.

“Clearly increased congressional oversight and legislative reforms are required. One such reform is to limit the number of private, for-profit contractors engaged in the conduct of intelligence activities. I agree with the President when stated publicly on August 6, 2013 that it is important that the intelligence community ‘reduce the reliance on contractors.” I share the concern expressed by the President over whether we should “be farming that much stuff out,’ particularly when we have so many ‘extraordinarily capable folks in our military and our government who can do this, and probably do it cheaper.’

“That is why earlier this year I introduced H.R. 2434, “Civilian Contractors Engaged in Intelligence Activities Reduction Act of 2013,” which requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study to ascertain the extent to which contractors are used in the conduct of intelligence activities and the type of information to which such contractors are exposed or have access. This bill also requires the Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress a report containing the results of the study and a plan for reducing by 25 percent the number of contractors to the Department of Defense with top secret security clearances that are engaged in intelligence activities (including intelligence analysis) by December 2014.

“I have also introduced H.R. 2440, the “Sunshine in the FISA Court Act,” which would require the Attorney General to disclose each decision, order, or opinion of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, including decisions involving significant interpretations of sections 501 or 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA Act).

“I am an original co-sponsor of H.R. 3361, the USA FREEDOM Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation which, if adopted, will rein in the dragnet collection of data by the National Security Agency (NSA) and other government agencies, increase transparency of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), provide businesses the ability to release information regarding FISA requests, and create an independent constitutional advocate to argue cases before the FISC.

“The NSA plays a critically important role in the effort to keep our nation safe. But its activities must be conducted in a manner that is faithful to our national values and ideals. These are not conflicting objectives. We can achieve both. But to do so, major reforms are needed. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration to enact the needed reforms.”

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Congresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas’s 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Homeland Security and the Judiciary, where for many years she was a member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Homeland Security, and Terrorism. She is Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.

The Congresswoman is available for interviews. To arrange an interview, contact Mike McQuerry at 202-225-7080 or Mike.McQuerry@mail.house.gov.