WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs, U.S. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue, and U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging his Administration to make significant reforms to America’s surveillance programs. The Administration recently concluded a comprehensive review of U.S. intelligence gathering operations.

The lawmakers highlighted some of the concerns expressed to them during their recent trip to Europe, noting the need to restore trust in the transatlantic relationship in order to continue important work on counterterrorism, security cooperation, and international trade. 

Full text of the letter:

The President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We commend your decision to seek guidance from a panel of experts in order to find the appropriate balance between protecting vital U.S. national security interests and safeguarding the fundamental rights to personal privacy. While there is no issue more important than protecting our people and our country from harm, recent revelations have made clear that U.S. surveillance programs have not been conducted with the appropriate degree of restraint and oversight.  This has shaken the public’s trust in the U.S. intelligence community and has tarnished our national image, both at home and abroad. 

Reports of surveillance activities have particularly angered our European allies, as we heard directly during a recent official visit we conducted to Berlin and Brussels. Safeguarding our national security is the ultimate goal of our intelligence activities, but the recent revelations threaten to undermine transatlantic cooperation in critical areas such as counterterrorism and trade and investment negotiations. Furthermore, American technology companies are being put at a serious disadvantage due to doubts about the security of their information systems.  

 

We have reviewed the recently released “Report and Recommendations of the President’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies," and wish to underscore several of its key findings and recommendations. Of paramount importance is ensuring that the constitutionally guaranteed rights of U.S. persons are protected, and the appropriate balance between liberty and security is struck. It is also important, however, to account for some of the concerns raised by our friends and allies overseas. We should not collect limitless information on foreign persons and leaders simply because we have the technological capability to do so—particularly when such collection brings its own risks to our national security. We therefore endorse the panel’s recommendation to create a high level approval and review process for surveillance of foreign leaders and nations, and to consider stringent criteria when doing so—including national security interest, our relationship with that nation, and the potential negative impact of the leader becoming aware of the surveillance. Furthermore, we also endorse the panel’s recommendation to apply the Privacy Act of 1974 to both U.S. and non-U.S. persons. This is a request that has been often stressed by European officials, including during our recent visit.  

 

We remain acutely aware that there are very real threats to our national security, and that we must remain vigilant and flexible in order to protect our interests.  But we must do so in a balanced way that respects our history and our fundamental values, and keeping in mind the effect on American competitiveness abroad.  Accordingly, we encourage you to work with Congress to further consider the recommendations outlined in the Report, and we look forward to working with the Administration to help craft any necessary legislation to urgently address these reform efforts. 

 

Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

CHRISTOPHER MURPHY                                            

United States Senator                                                

 

MARIO DIAZ-BALART

Member of Congress

 

GREGORY W. MEEKS

Member of Congress

To download a copy of this letter, please visit: http://www.murphy.senate.gov/download/11014-european-privacy-letter