← Back to Civic Storm
Defense & Veterans
Sign in to follow

H.R. 117

Fourth Amendment Restoration Act

In Plain Language

This bill eliminates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and requires the government to get a warrant before surveilling U.S. citizens, including when tracking their communications, searching their property, or collecting intelligence on them. It creates criminal penalties for government officials who violate these rules or misuse surveillance information. The bill also says that information collected about Americans through intelligence operations or surveillance of foreign nationals cannot be used against them in court or legal proceedings.

Official Congressional Research Service summary

Fourth Amendment Restoration ActThis bill repeals the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (which authorizes various types of searches and surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes) and limits surveillance of U.S. citizens.The bill requires that an officer of the U.S. government obtain a warrant for certain search and surveillance activities against a U.S. citizen, including (1) conducting electronic surveillance, (2) conducting physical searches of property under a U.S. citizen's exclusive control, or (3) targeting a U.S. citizen to acquire foreign intelligence information.The bill provides for criminal penalties for a person who intentionally (1) violates these requirements without statutory authorization, or (2) discloses or uses information that the person knows (or has a reason to know) was obtained under color of law by methods that violate these requirements. Information about a U.S. citizen acquired under Executive Order 12333 (relating to intelligence gathering) or during surveillance of a non-U.S. citizen shall not be used against the U.S. citizen in any civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding or investigation.  

Sponsor

Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5]

Cosponsors

None listed

Latest action

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jan 3, 2025

Official source

View on Congress.gov ↗

Action history

Jan 3, 2025 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Write to this bill’s sponsor

Draft a constituent message about this bill in your own words -- grounded in the actual summary, not a form letter.

Don’t worry — we’ll help you form the message.

Compose a message