Recently, I voted in opposition to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Reauthorization of 2017 because I believe in the defense of every American’s constitutional right against warrantless search and seizure.

Unfortunately, our domestic surveillance has been dramatically expanded in recent years. While I fully understand that we are in an age of ever evolving threats to our national security, I simply disagree that Americans’ constitutional rights have to be violated in order to protect the United States from foreign threats.

When the House Intelligence Committee released the FISA memo last week, which I thoroughly supported, our nation was faced with the reality that when we allow warrantless collection and use of innocent Americans’ data, that information can be abused. In this case, information was used for political purposes. This is unnerving.

The federal government should not be allowed to spy on you, your family or any American citizen without a warrant based on clear and conclusive proof. I will always stand in defense of the U.S. Constitution.