House Resolution 34, introduced by Representatives Greene and Massie on January 13, 2025, expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the federal government should drop all charges against Edward Snowden. The resolution cites several key events and findings: 1. In March 2013, then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper provided a "clearly erroneous" response to Senator Ron Wyden's question about the National Security Agency's (NSA) data collection on Americans. 2. In June 2013, Edward Snowden disclosed NSA documents exposing the bulk collection of Americans' telephone records from telecommunications providers. 3. The Department of Justice unsealed charges against Snowden for violating the Espionage Act and theft of government property. 4. In January 2014, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board found no instance in which the NSA's telephone records program directly contributed to the discovery or disruption of a terrorist plot and that the program significantly threatened and violated Americans' constitutional rights. 5. In May 2015 and September 2020, U.S. Courts of Appeals ruled that the bulk collection of telephone records was unlawful and possibly unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment. 6. The resolution asserts that those involved in the illegal collection of Americans' telephone records have not been held accountable, increasing the risk of continued government overreach and abuse of civil liberties. Based on these findings, the resolution states that the House of Representatives considers the NSA's bulk telephone records collection program illegal and unconstitutional, that Snowden's disclosure of the program was in the public interest, and that the federal government should drop all charges against him.
In 2013, Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor, revealed that the U.S. government was secretly collecting the telephone records of millions of Americans without their knowledge or consent. This bulk collection program was run by the National Security Agency (NSA). Snowden shared this information with journalists because he believed the government was violating the Constitution and the rights of American citizens. As a result, the U.S. government charged Snowden with serious crimes, including stealing government property and sharing classified information. However, some people in Congress believe that Snowden did the right thing by exposing the government's illegal activities. They argue that the NSA's program was against the law and the Constitution and that it did not actually help prevent any terrorist attacks. These members of Congress have introduced a resolution stating that the House of Representatives believes the NSA's program was illegal and unconstitutional, that Snowden's actions were in the public interest, and that the government should drop all the charges against him. The resolution aims to protect whistleblowers like Snowden, who expose wrongdoing within the government.