# 116-hr-8970: Protect Our Civil Liberties Act

116-hr-8970, Protect Our Civil Liberties Act, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2] (D-HI); status Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8970
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-8970
- Congress: 116
- Title: Protect Our Civil Liberties Act
- Status: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced: 2020-12-15
- Sponsor: Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2] (D-HI)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Protect Our Civil Liberties Act This bill limits government surveillance, including by repealing the USA PATRIOT Act and certain provisions of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, and contains other intelligence-related provisions. Specifically, the bill repeals all provisions of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 except for a provision requiring certain Department of Justice reports to Congress and another provision authorizing the acquisition of foreign intelligence from certain entities engaged in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Information that concerns a U.S. person must be destroyed if it was previously collected under the laws repealed by the bill. The bill also prohibits the federal government from (1) acquiring information relating to a U.S. person by using certain foreign intelligence gathering authority without a warrant, (2) requiring electronics or software manufacturers to install a mechanism for the government to bypass encryption or privacy technology, or (3) retaliating against intelligence community whistleblowers. The bill also extends the terms of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judges from 7 to 10 years and makes such judges eligible for reappointment. Such judges may also appoint special masters to advise the court on technical issues. The Government Accountability Office must annually evaluate the federal government's compliance with certain laws concerning the collection of foreign intelligence.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Massie, Thomas [R-KY-4] (R-KY), 2020-12-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 116-hr-8336: Unplug the Internet Kill Switch Act of 2020
- 116-hr-5995: Major Richard Star Act
- 116-hr-5957: K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020
- 116-hr-4305: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act
- 116-hr-1044: Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020
- 116-hr-748: CARES Act

## Sources
- [116-hr-8970 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8970)

## Related
- [116-hr-8336: Unplug the Internet Kill Switch Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8336)
- [116-hr-5995: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-5995)
- [116-hr-5957: K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-5957)
- [116-hr-4305: PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-4305)
- [116-hr-1044: Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-1044)
- [116-hr-748: CARES Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-748)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8970 (as of 2025-11-18).