H.R. 3989: USA Liberty Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-10-06 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 8.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-10-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 8. 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

USA Liberty Act of 2017

Plain summary

Uniting and Strengthening American Liberty Act of 2017 or the USA Liberty Act of 2017 This bill amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to allow the contents of communications by persons outside of the United States to be accessed if the Department of Justice (DOJ) determines there is probable cause to believe that those contents may provide evidence of a crime. Noncontent communication information may be accessed only if DOJ determines that the noncontent information is relevant to an authorized investigation or assessment. DOJ must establish specific procedures when unmasking information is requested. (Unmasking means providing the identity of a U.S. person mentioned in an intelligence report that contains a reference to the person but does not identify the person.) The National Security Act of 1947 is amended to prevent federal employees from taking any personnel action against a contractor employee who has made a lawful disclosure of information that the contractor employee believes provides evidence of a violation of federal law or mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. The bill extends to September 30, 2023, the authorization of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows DOJ and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to jointly authorize the electronic surveillance of non-U.S. persons who are outside the United States. The bill increases the criminal penalty (from one to up to five years imprisonment) for knowingly removing classified information without authority and with intent to retain such information at an unauthorized location and imposes a criminal penalty of up to one year imprisonment for negligently removing such information. The bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study the unauthorized disclosure of classified information and the U.S. classification system.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

USA Liberty Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6] · 13 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3989, Uniting and Strengthening American Liberty Act of 2017 (2018-01-18)

Cosponsors on this site

Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), John H. Rutherford (R-FL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mike Johnson (R-LA)

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 (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
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 House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr3989.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr3989 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115