Lawmaker urges Section 702 reform, cites surveillance harms to Black and LGBTQ Americans

At a Senate Committee on Finance hearing, a lawmaker said surveillance programs have disproportionately targeted Black and LGBTQ Americans and said that history informs their effort to reform Section 702.

The speaker linked what they called the "horrific history" of surveillance abuses against marginalized groups to ongoing policy work. "Both Black Americans and LGBTQ Americans have often been the unjust targets of those surveillance abuses," the lawmaker said, adding that this record "helps to inform my ongoing battle to reform Section 702."

The remarks framed the issue as one of civil rights and privacy, with the speaker urging legislative attention to changes in Section 702. The transcript does not record a formal motion, vote, or a named bill text in this excerpt; it records the speaker characterizing past surveillance patterns and connecting them to their reform efforts.

The lawmaker presented the comments as part of continued efforts to reshape how Section 702 is used, saying historical harms should guide policy choices. The transcript does not include a recorded response to the claim in this excerpt.