Perhaps trying to contrast himself with Rep. Colleen Hanabusa’s vote last week against an amendment to curtail the powers of the National Security Agency, Sen. Brian Schatz announced he’s co-sponsoring reforms to the courts charged with overseeing surveillance by the federal government.

Schatz in a release said he’s co-sponsoring a bill aimed at the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, collectively known as FICA, which reviews the federal government’s surveillance requests.

Hanabusa last week split with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard in voting against a measure proposed by Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., which would have prevented the NSA from using the Patriot Act to collect phone records of individuals who aren’t under investigation. 

To be fair, Hanabusa explained the vote on procedural grounds, saying a floor amendment would not involve the kind of debate and scrutiny necessary to make sure there are no unintended consequences to national security. She also signed a letter saying questions linger about privacy protections.

Schatz hasn’t taken a position on the NSA amendment because it was proposed in the House, not the Senate.

But he said in a release,“The right to privacy is one of our country’s most valued democratic rights, and I am committed to making sure government does not encroach on that right.”

The measure proposed by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and co-sponsored by Schatz and 12 other senators,  would create an Office of the Special Advocate tasked with advocating for minimizing privacy intrusions in the FISA courts’ closed proceedings. Interested parties would be able to file amicus briefs to advocate for privacy concerns.

Photo: Sen. Brian Schatz (Courtesy of Schatz’s office)

— Kery Murakami