{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-nsa-seizure-americans%E2%80%99-phone-records-deeply-troubling", "Tipton: NSA Seizure of Americans\u2019 Phone Records Deeply Troubling", "2013-06-06", "2013", "2013-06", "Republican", "House", "CO", "Scott Tipton", "T000470", "tipton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Today, Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) issued the below statement following reports that the National Security Agency (NSA) has obtained the phone records of millions of American Verizon customers. Tipton has joined a number of his House colleagues in a letter to of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller and NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander to determine the scope of the agencies\u2019 data collection activities.\n \n\t\u201cThe news that the NSA has seized the phone records of millions of Americans is deeply troubling. While we must ensure that our nation is secure from terrorist threats and has the tools needed to stop such threats, gathering millions of phone records of American citizens, not under investigation for any crime, is an overreach of power, violation of rights and infringement of privacy. This is unacceptable and we deserve answers from the Administration.\u201d\n \nIn the letter, Tipton and his colleagues write:\n\u201cAs Representatives of Americans possibly targeted by your agencies\u2019 surveillance, we require more details from you concerning the FBI and NSA\u2019s data collection activities. We request that your answers and supporting documents be sent to us in unclassified form, to the extent possible.\n Do the FBI and NSA regularly seek \u201call\u201d telephony metadata, including local telephone calls, from a telecommunications provider?\n\tIn the last year, how many FISC orders for \u201call\u201d telephony metadata from a telecommunications provider have been requested and how many have been granted?\n\tIn the last year, how many U.S.-based telecommunications providers have been subjected to a FISC order for \u201call\u201d telephony metadata? An estimate is acceptable, if necessary.\n\tFor how long do your agencies store the information collected pursuant to a FISC order for \u201call\u201d telephony metadata from a telecommunications provider?\n\tWhat are your agencies\u2019 legal positions on Section 215\u2019s relevancy requirement? Specifically, how is \u201call\u201d telephony metadata from a telecommunications provider relevant to an authorized investigation? We would find legal briefs, memoranda, and illustrative examples particularly helpful.\n\tIn the last year, how many U.S.-based telephone users have had some of their telephony metadata transferred to the NSA pursuant to a FISC order? An estimate is acceptable, if necessary.\n\tIn the last year, what proportion of data transferred to the NSA pursuant to a FISC order is associated with calls wholly within the U.S.? An estimate is acceptable, if necessary.\n\tWhat are your agencies\u2019 legal positions on the scope of \u201ctelephony metadata\u201d in Section 215? Specifically, does \u201ctelephony metadata\u201d include data on Internet usage such as IP addresses, e-mail addresses, or browsing history?\u201d\n Read the full letter here.\nLast month, Tipton called for a full investigation of the I.R.S. targeting of conservative groups, and expressed concerns that this was occurring more than a year ago. Tipton has also cosponsored H.RES. 36 which would establish a select committee to investigate and report on the attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012.", 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": ["http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-nsa-seizure-americans%E2%80%99-phone-records-deeply-troubling"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9189769625663757, "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"}