As we crawl toward the one year anniversary of the end of The Pre-Snowden Era, suddenly, after a long pause of the sausage grinder, the sort-of and not-really NSA reform bills (USA Freedom Act - H.R. 3361) and (FISA Transparency and Modernization Act - H.R. 4291) are expected to come to votes on the House floor today and Friday.
If you have not already wonked your way through the bills, Harley Geiger of the Center for Democracy & Technology has written this concise and informative Overview of the Major Proposals to End NSA Bulk Collection in contrast to the White House proposal.
Of the two, the Sensenbrenner Bill, which was widely supported by reformers as the best available option before it was watered-down to what Marcy Wheeler has now dubbed The US Freedumb Act, would require NSA to go to FISA to obtain a warrant for metadata, but falls short of Fourth Amendment protections. It would, however, end indiscriminate bulk metadata collections (or "Passive Surveillance" in the parlance of out times).
On the other hand, the FTMA co-sponsored by Reps. Mike Rogers and Dutch Ruppersbkerger (that Mike Rogers, not newly appointed NSA chief Admiral Mike Rogers, LOL) would actually weaken oversight providing the NSA a streamlined rubber stamp (guess that's the "modernization" thingy) to continue business as usual and then some. Go figure.
It looks like the Sensenbrenner Bill just might have enough votes to pass in the House.
But is it worth it?