When Congress reauthorizes Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) every few years, it offers a rare chance to tighten privacy protections. But the newly introduced Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act is a weak substitute for genuine reform—it fails to require a warrant for the FBI to search Americans' communications, leaves self-policing in place, and does nothing to stop the routine collection of innocent people's messages under the guise of “incidental” surveillance. This guide will show you how to push back effectively.
What You Need
- A computer, smartphone, or tablet with internet access
- Your U.S. zip code or full address (to find your congressional representative)
- Optional: a pen and paper (for handwritten letters)
- Familiarity with key talking points (listed below)
Step‑by‑Step Action Plan
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Understand the core problem.
The current FISA 702 program allows the government to collect foreign intelligence but incidentally sweeps up Americans' private calls, emails, and texts. The FBI can then search through this data without a warrant, claiming the search is “incidental” to a foreign target. The new bill does not require a warrant for such backdoor searches; it only installs a civil liberties officer who reviews queries after surveillance has already happened. This is insufficient—real reform demands a warrant requirement for any query involving U.S. persons.
Source: www.eff.org -
Identify your two senators and your House representative.
Visit Congress.gov's member lookup or use your favorite search engine with “who is my representative.” Write down their names and office contact information. You'll need both the D.C. office phone number and the local district office.
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Prepare your message using the key demands.
Base your letter, email, or social media post on these concrete requests:
- Require a judge‑signed warrant before the FBI can search any 702‑collected data for information about a U.S. person.
- Reject any bill that lacks that warrant requirement—including the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act.
- Demand independent oversight, not internal reviews by the intelligence community itself.
- Increase transparency: require the government to publish the number of U.S. person queries and any violations.
Sample opening sentence: “I urge you to oppose the Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act because it fails to protect Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights.”
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Contact your lawmakers using multiple channels.
For maximum impact, do at least two of the following:
- Phone call: Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224‑3121 or the local office. A short, polite script works best.
- Written letter or email: Use the House contact form or Senate contact page. Keep it to one page.
- Social media: Tag your lawmakers on Twitter/X, Facebook, or Instagram with your key demand and the hashtag #WarrantFor702.
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Follow up and spread the word.
After you send your message, share your action with friends, family, and local civil liberties groups. Encourage them to repeat these steps. The more people who contact Congress, the harder it is for members to ignore the call for real reform. Check for updates on the bill's progress at EFF.org or the ACLU website.
Source: www.eff.org -
Attend town halls and public meetings.
If your representative holds a virtual or in‑person town hall, attend and ask a direct question: “Will you vote only for a FISA 702 bill that has a warrant requirement for searching Americans' data?” Record the answer and share it with others.
Tips for Maximum Impact
- Be specific. Mention the bill name (Foreign Intelligence Accountability Act) and what you want changed (warrant requirement, no self‑policing).
- Use personal stories. If you work in tech, journalism, or any field where privacy matters, explain how warrantless surveillance affects you.
- Stay non‑partisan. Frame the issue as a matter of constitutional rights, not party politics. Both Republicans and Democrats have raised privacy concerns.
- Check deadlines. Section 702 expires in just days, so urgency is real. Send your messages now.
- Document your efforts. Keep a log of who you contacted and their responses. This helps track accountability.
- Join a coalition. Groups like Fight for the Future, Demand Progress, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation provide ready‑made call‑in scripts and alerts. Go to their websites for the latest updates.
By following these steps, you transform frustration into effective advocacy. Congress needs to hear that Americans won't accept a fig‑leaf bill—they want real protection from warrantless surveillance.