Washington, D.C. — Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, released the following statement regarding H.R. 7888, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act. 
 
“Safeguarding American citizens’ personal liberty is one of my priorities. I’ve been a consistent voice that Congress must institute strong safeguards on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) program. 
 
“This bill includes numerous reforms that ends FISA as we’ve known it and imposes criminal penalties on FBI agents. These are critical steps in the right direction. I’m very disappointed that the amendment I supported, which required the FBI to get a warrant, failed due to a tie vote.  There is more work to be done and enforcement of these reforms is vital. Most importantly, this bill sunsets FISA in two years, and I’m confident that under a Trump Administration further reforms to this program can be made to protect American’s civil liberties."
 
Key changes to FISA include:
 

• Closing the Carter Page loophole and requiring the FBI to justify in court that a U.S. person is in violation of U.S. criminal code in an electronic surveillance application.
  
  
• Prohibiting the use of political oppo- research or news articles to get a FISA order.
  
  
• Appointing an independent lawyer at FISA Court on behalf of the American the FBI is applying for a warrant against.
  
  
• Creates criminal penalty of 10 years in prison and/or $250,000 fine for leaking a FISA application. 
  
  
• Requires an annual report to Congress on how the FBI is disciplining FISA query violators.