S. 1467: FISA Court Reform Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-08-01 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-08-01 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

FISA Court Reform Act of 2013

Plain summary

FISA Court Reform Act of 2013 - Establishes as an independent establishment in the executive branch an Office of the Special Advocate to protect individual rights by advocating in cases before courts established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) in support of legal interpretations that minimize the scope of surveillance and the extent of data collection and retention. Directs the presiding judge of the FISA Court of Review to appoint a Special Advocate to serve as the head of such Office from a list of candidates submitted by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. Requires the Special Advocate to: (1) review each application to the FISA Court by the Attorney General and each decision of the FISA Court or the FISA Court of Review, and (2) participate in proceedings before the FISA Court when appointed to participate by such Court. Permits the Special Advocate to request to participate in such proceedings, request reconsideration of FISA Court decisions, and appeal or seek review of FISA Court or FISA Court of Review decisions. Directs such Courts to promulgate rules to provide the public with information sufficient to allow interested parties to participate as amicus curiae. Authorizes the Special Advocate to seek a writ of certiorari from the Supreme Court for review of any decision of the FISA Court of Review. Requires the Attorney General to publicly disclose: (1) all decisions issued by the FISA Court or the FISA Court of Review after July 10, 2003, that include a significant construction or interpretation of law, (2) any decision of the FISA Court appealed by the Special Advocate, and (3) any FISA Court of Review decision issued after an appeal by the Special Advocate. Provides for the release of as much information regarding the facts and analysis in such decisions as is consistent with legitimate national security concerns. Permits the Special Advocate to petition the FISA Court or FISA Court of Review for the public disclosure of decisions and related documents previously designated as classified or for the release of an unclassified summary of such materials.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

FISA Court Reform Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] · 18 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] reported raising $771,465 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113s1467.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/s>

Record fed-us-cong113-s1467 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113