Bipartisan House Group Forms Fourth Amendment Caucus to Protect Privacy Rights

More than two dozen Democratic and Republican House members launched the Fourth Amendment Caucus to protect the privacy rights of Americans. It's led by Reps. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Ted Poe, R-Texas, and is a response to what some say is more government intrusion and surveillance into people's electronic communications. Some other members of the caucus include Reps. Justin Amash, R-Mich.; Suzan DelBene, D-Wash.; Blake Farenthold, R-Texas; Louie Gohmert, R-Texas; Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.; Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; Hank Johnson, D-Ga.; John Lewis, D-Ga.; Ted Lieu, D-Calif.; Thomas Massie, R-Ky.; and Jared Polis, D-Colo. An independent organization called the Fourth Amendment Advisory Committee was formed to support the caucus and educate people about the issue, said a Wednesday news release from the new group, whose board includes Fight for the Future co-founder Tiffiniy Cheng; Center for Media Justice Executive Director Malkia Cyril; Free Press Government Relations Manager Sandra Fulton; Mike Godwin of the R Street Institute; Jennifer Granick, director of civil liberties at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society; Ryan Hagemann, Niskanen Center technology and civil liberties policy analyst.; Sascha Meinrath, director of think tank X-Lab and a Penn State University telecom professor; Demand Progress Policy Director Daniel Schuman; and Neil Siefring, government relations director at FreedomWorks, among others. Debate has intensified in recent years as privacy advocates, including lawmakers, criticized several government actions to get more access to people's communications and data (see 1603290059, 1606090007 and 1605120016). Separately, Poe announced he has been diagnosed with leukemia and will be spending time in Texas during the recess to focus on his health.