{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221043224/http://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/Article.cfm?customel_dataPageID_1502=47723", "Grassley Statement at the Oversight Hearing of Government Surveillance Authorities", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Charles Grassley", "G000386", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Grassley Statement at the Oversight Hearing of Government Surveillance AuthoritiesPrepared Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa  \nRanking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee  \nHearing on \u201cContinued Oversight of U.S. Government Surveillance Authorities\u201d  \nWednesday, December 11, 2013  \nMr. Chairman, thank you for holding today\u2019s hearing on the continued oversight of the government\u2019s surveillance authorities.\u00a0 This topic has been the subject of ongoing media attention and constituent interest. We last held a hearing on this important topic in early October.\u00a0 Since then, reports have continued to surface in the media about possible overreach on the part of the government.\u00a0 Some of these reports may be more accurate than others.\u00a0 But I continue to believe that many of them call into serious question whether the law and other safeguards currently in place strike the right balance between protecting our civil liberties and our national security. This is especially so concerning the public revelation that under Section 215 of the Patriot Act, the government is collecting Americans\u2019 phone metadata in bulk. Why are many Americans so concerned?\u00a0 Well, it isn\u2019t hard to find an example of what can happen to Americans\u2019 personal information when the government overreaches, mismanages, and fails the American people. It\u2019s been over two months since the Administration tried to bring the Obamacare website on-line.\u00a0 And the American people are suffering under Obamacare.\u00a0 Many are finding they can\u2019t keep the insurance plans they liked.\u00a0 Their premiums are rising.\u00a0 And uncertainty is growing about which parts of the law the President will decide to uphold. But in just these few months, we have already seen reports of incidents where Obamacare hasn\u2019t adequately protected Americans\u2019 personal data.\u00a0 In one reported instance in Minnesota, an insurance broker was accidentally provided the personal information of 2,400 people. Moreover, there are many unanswered questions about the Obamacare website\u2019s ability to protect privacy going forward. Now, I expect that the standards of the dedicated professionals in our intelligence community do not compare to those of the contractors who failed to set up the Obamacare website properly. But it\u2019s easy to see why many Americans are skeptical that the government can adequately maintain their privacy when it collects vast amounts of information. The President\u2019s disengagement on these important matters doesn\u2019t help.\u00a0 He claims he was unaware of the problems with the Obamacare website before it launched.\u00a0 Now reports say he was unaware of the reported surveillance of many world leaders. As I did back in October, I call on the President to lead.\u00a0 Many of these programs are critical to our national security.\u00a0 The President needs to contribute to the national debate by publicly explaining and defending them. It\u2019s good that there are numerous reform proposals that this committee will have the opportunity to consider going forward.\u00a0 I am convinced there is a role for greater transparency, oversight, and accountability in the FISA process.\u00a0 The public trust in our intelligence community must be rebuilt.\u00a0 And of course we must ensure that intelligence authorities are exercised in a manner consistent with our laws and the Constitution. These proposals should be subject to the same rigorous and critical examination to which we are subjecting the surveillance programs themselves. These proposals should address the specific concerns that have been brought to light, not re-litigate old and irrelevant legislative battles. \u00a0 These proposals shouldn\u2019t provide a terrorist abroad with rights similar to those of a U.S. citizen here at home. These proposals shouldn\u2019t make it more burdensome for authorities to investigate a terrorist than it is to investigate a common criminal. And these proposals shouldn\u2019t return us to a pre-September 11th posture.\u00a0 Then, we didn\u2019t adequately weigh the dedication, intelligence and lethality of our foreign enemies, who are undoubtedly watching this debate closely. The balance between protecting individual liberties and our national security is a delicate one.\u00a0 And reasonable people can disagree about precisely where that balance is best struck. Our witnesses on both panels today represent a wide range of views.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure I don\u2019t either agree or disagree with any of them completely.\u00a0 But I welcome hearing each of their perspectives as we consider these various reforms. Thank you.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221043224/http://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/Article.cfm?customel_dataPageID_1502=47723"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7883450016379356, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}