Send a message to your members of Congress, urging them to investigate claims that the NSA may be illegally intercepting private communications of American citizens. 

SAMPLE LETTER

[Date]

[Address:
Find your Senators here
Find your Representative here]

Dear [Name],

I am writing to express my grave concern regarding new information suggesting that the National Security Agency’s post-9/11 secret telephone and surveillance program is much larger than previously acknowledged and that the NSA may be illegally intercepting private communications of American citizens.

The full extent of the secret surveillance program remains unknown, but a series of revelations since 2005 indicate there are serious questions about its legality. Instead of addressing these questions, however, last year Congress passed the FISA Amendments Act, which granted immunity to telecommunications companies for their participation in the NSA program and provided the executive branch with even broader authority to monitor the communications of innocent people.

The laws that the NSA program and other post-9/11 surveillance powers circumvent were specifically crafted to ensure the U.S. government can spy on suspected terrorists and other foreign threats. What those laws also guaranteed, however, was that the constitutional right of American citizens and residents to be secure against unreasonable searches was protected.

I am deeply concerned by recent revelations that the NSA may be violating these essential protections. I therefore urge you to continue Congress’s investigations into these allegations and the scope of the secret program in general; to make these findings public; and to work to pass legislation to bring the NSA program, and the full range of post-9/11 surveillance powers, in line with the Constitutionally-protected rights to privacy and freedom of expression.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

[Your name and signature]