Both of Montana’s U.S. Senators today voted in favor of reviving several anti-terrorism government surveillance programs, two days after many expired with the Patriot act of 2001.Republican Steve Daines was an original co-sponsor of this year’s USA Freedom Act, which passed today. Daines said he looks forward to the Freedom Act being signed into law by the President. He says it, "takes the long overdue step to end the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records." He called today’s vote "a win for ... civil liberties and ... constitutional rights."
Honored to sign the USA Freedom Act today on behalf of the U.S. Senate -- it now heads to @POTUS to sign into law. pic.twitter.com/RuJlcuLPfH
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) June 2, 2015
Democrat Jon Tester said he’s, "pleased Congress took significant steps to end some of the worst abuses carried out under the Patriot Act," and that "the Freedom Act takes steps to provide a reasonable balance between protecting the country and privacy rights."
