Sessions: If 702 Were Not Reauthorized, It Would Reduce Our Ability to Identify Potential Terrorist Acts

EXCERPT:

SESSIONS: "Mr. Chairman, having been involved since I’ve been in the department with many of the day-to-day impacts of section 702, I believe it would have a detrimental impact of significance. It would — it reduced our ability to identify terrorist acts and potential acts before they happen. That was one of the goals that we had when we passed the PATRIOT Act. And I know that -- I guess that Senator Hatch and Senator Leahy worked very hard on that. It was one of the most intense times I've ever seen this committee do; 702 has proven its worth. Courts have upheld it. It has one of the most rigorous oversight procedures that — of any act that I think in existence today. And it enables us to focus on terrorists abroad and to identify those who could be threats to us."