By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News
Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation is split when it comes to the National Security Agency’s recently exposed surveillance of telephone and internet records.
Congressman Jim Langevin, who serves on the House Intelligence Committee, told Gene Valicenti on the WPRO Morning News that he is “comfortable” with the NSA program that monitors telecom activity.
He said it’s “unfortunate” that the program was leaked to the public, saying what whistleblower Ed Snowden did was “against the law.”
“I don’t think it should have been revealed,” he said. “I think it should have remained classified.”
Langevin said he and other members of the Intelligence Committee had been fully briefed on the program, which he said has “proper oversight.”
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse agrees with Langevin, saying the NSA program has “already paid off in averting a terrorist act.”
“I’m OK with the program as it operates under very careful supervision and with very, very limited actual surveillance that takes place,” he told WPRO.
According to a new poll by the Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans see the NSA phone tracking program as acceptable.
Whitehouse said he’s not surprised.
“I think more would support it if they actually understood it, unfortunately, the darn thing is so classified that it’s difficult to explain without bumping up against the restrictions of classified information,” he said.
While both Langevin and Whitehouse see eye to eye, the rest of the state’s Congressional delegation isn’t sold on the NSA’s tactics.
“This is a legitimate cause for concern,” Senator Jack Reed said in a statement. “I’ve been advocating for greater transparency and understanding on these matters. Make no mistake, preventing terrorist attacks comes first, but we can and must do a better job here.”
Congressman David Cicilline said it was “disturbing” to learn about the NSA’s procurement of telecom information from “millions of innocent Americans.” Like Reed, although Cicilline is uncomfortable with the specifics of the NSA’s actions, he does agree that national security is a top priority.
“Of course, the federal government has a responsibility to both ensure our national security and maintain every citizen’s essential right to privacy,” he said in a statement. “It’s important to ensure that we are striking the right balance between these two responsibilities and we should review these matters thoroughly.”
|
|
Kim Kalunian
