FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25, 2013
MEDIA CONTACT: Dave Nalle 512-656-8011, press@rlctx.org
VOTE ON NSA SPYING CRITICAL TEST FOR TEXAS REPUBLICANS
AUSTIN, TX – The Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas commends the ten Texas Republican Congressmen who voted to protect the privacy of Texans and Americans all over the country from unnecessary surveillance by the National Security Administration.
Louis Gohmert, Ted Poe, Ralph Hall, Joe Barton, Randy Weber, Kenny Marchant, Roger Williams, Michael Burgess, Blake Farenthold and Steve Stockman all stood up under pressure from the House Republican leadership and the Obama administration to make a critical statement in support of Rep. Justin Amash’s amendment limiting the surveillance authority of the NSA. Their votes expressed a belief in a rational balance between national security and individual rights.
Sadly the amendment failed passage by a mere 7 votes, half of the number of Texas Republican Congressmen who voted against it. This was a situation where the Texas delegation could have made the difference between giving the administration a blank check and providing some basic protection for the privacy of citizens. We invite the Texas Republican Congressmen who voted against the Amash amendment to explain their decision not to act as advocates for the rights of Texas citizens.
Sam Johnson, Jeb Hensarling, John Culberson, Kevin Brady, Michael McCaul, Mike Conway, Kay Granger, Mac Thornberry, Bill Flores, Randy Neugebauer, Lamar Smith, Pete Olson, John Carter and Pete Sessions need to explain their vote to continue NSA spying on American citizens. Going into a primary season where many of them may face challenges from Republicans who expect better representation, their decision on this critical vote may come back to haunt them.
“It is encouraging to see that so many of our Texas Republican Congressmen are willing to protect our privacy by reining in NSA spying,” observed Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas Chairman Jeffrey Larson, “and disappointing to see so many Republicans voting against them and with Nancy Pelosi to maintain the status quo.”