Gene Schaerr

re: a certain TruthSocial post about Justices Barrett and Gorsuch, allow me to tap the sign

My faith guides who I am and how I serve. I believe government should never come between you and your relationship with God, your right to worship freely, or your ability to raise your family according to your values. In Congress, I will always defend religious liberty, protect people of conscience, and stand up for every Utahn’s right to live, speak, and worship according to their beliefs.

TODAY, Justice Clarence Thomas is now the second longest serving Supreme Court Justice in American history at 34 years and 195 days. He has written more than 800 opinions, laying out a jurisprudence that has brought the Supreme Court back to the Constitution. Justice Thomas has lived a most extraordinary American life, from being born into abject poverty in the Deep South under state-enforced segregation to becoming our nation’s greatest Justice. Please watch this beautiful segment from the terrific documentary, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words. Justice Thomas recounts his grandfather enrolling him in the segregated all-black catholic school in Savannah and the role the Irish nuns who ran the school played in his life. His grandfather told him: “'You are going to go to school every day. If you are sick, you’re still going. If you die, I will take your body for three days to make sure you are not faking.' And he meant it. It’s one thing if somebody says it and you think they’re exaggerating. He wasn’t that kind of guy.” God bless Justice Thomas.

FISA 702 is up for reauthorization this week. Congress needs to require a warrant to search any of your private communications that may have been “incidentally collected” under FISA 702. Pass it on if you agree.

With FISA, multiple aspects are true at once: 1. FISA is undeniably useful in protecting America against foreign attacks. 2. If not adequately checked, FISA powers will facilitate the violation of American citizens’ Fourth Amendment rights. These abuses have already occurred. We must do BOTH: protect the homeland AND adhere to the Constitution framework that prevents government abuses.

Get a warrant. Protect the Fourth. Reform FISA.

“When it comes to Americans, then we have our Constitutional rights."
 
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) allows U.S. intel agencies to spy on foreigners. But FISA also inadvertently enables these agencies to execute warrantless searches, collect mass data, and violate our Constitution - undermining our fundamental protections to privacy. 
 
We cannot wait for our Intel agencies to limit themselves; we must act to protect the American People.

We’ve known FISA Section 702’s flaws for years. A rushed extension without real reform won’t restore trust. Congress ought to get this right to protect national security and uphold Fourth Amendment rights. Both are possible.

Warrantless backdoor surveillance of American citizens is happening under FISA Section 702–and that’s wrong. We must defend Americans’ constitutional right to privacy under the Fourth Amendment and fix FISA. We’ve got 10 days to do it. Let’s get it done.

Let’s be clear, Meredith. There are NO actual reforms to FISA in that amended bill. Members shouldn’t be fooled by the sleight of hand being done here.