On Thursday, June 19, 2014, the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the defense appropriations bill that would cut off funding to the National Security Agency (NSA) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for installing surveillance "back doors" into software and physical devices. The amendment would also block the NSA and CIA from using funds appropriated by the bill to query intelligence information about U.S. persons without a warrant.

The amendment was sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (R-Calif.). The amendment passed with a bipartisan majority voting in favor, but a significant number of Representatives—123—voted to continue funding surveillance "back doors" and warrantless searches on U.S. persons. 

• Representatives voting to continue funding surveillance "back doors" and warrantless searches on U.S. persons received, on average, 113 percent more money ($75.4k) from defense contractors and other defense industry interests than did representatives who voted to defund the programs ($35.5k), from January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2013.
• Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon received $693,650 from defense contractors and other defense industry interests from January 1, 2011 - December 31, 2013, more than any other member of the House. He voted to continue funding surveillance "back doors" and warrantless searches on U.S. persons. McKeon is Chair of the House Committee on Armed Services

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Submitted by Donny Shaw on Jun 20, 2014