Today, Rep. Adam Schiff, the Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and co-sponsor of the USA Freedom Act, released the following statement:

“Senate passage of the USA Freedom Act is a vital step forward in reforming our intelligence programs to ensure that we maximize both security and privacy. The bill’s provisions will end bulk collection and add important checks and balances in the FISA Court by introducing an independent advocate and requiring declassification review of important decisions.

“I commend those members of the Senate who voted against amendments which would have weakened these reforms and further jeopardized progress on the bill.

“Though passage of USA Freedom in the Senate was overdue and that chamber’s dysfunction caused important capabilities to lapse, we will soon send the President a sound compromise that enjoys the support of stakeholders across the spectrum. The USA Freedom Act is evidence that we need not sacrifice our liberty for security, and that we can, indeed must, have both.