Florida Congresswoman Introduces Landmark “American Privacy Restoration Act” to End 20+ Years of Domestic Spy Powers
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) is taking direct aim at the heart of the surveillance state with her newly introduced “American Privacy Restoration Act”—a bold piece of legislation that would fully repeal the USA PATRIOT Act, the controversial post-9/11 law that dramatically expanded federal surveillance authority over U.S. citizens.
“For over two decades, rogue actors within our U.S. intelligence agencies have used the Patriot Act to create the most sophisticated, unaccountable surveillance apparatus in the Western world,” Luna said in a press release. “That ends now.”
Passed in October 2001 amid national panic following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the PATRIOT Act gave federal agencies sweeping powers to spy on phone records, internet activity, financial transactions, and even detain individuals without charges—all with minimal judicial oversight.
From “Security” to Suppression?
According to Luna, the original purpose of the law has been twisted and weaponized against the very citizens it claimed to protect.
“I introduced this legislation to fully repeal the Patriot Act and strip rogue intelligence officers of their extraordinary mass surveillance powers,” Luna said. “These tools have been used to settle personal scores, interfere in elections, and spy on untold numbers of innocent Americans.”
The congresswoman emphasized that protecting Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights—protection from unreasonable searches and seizures—is non-negotiable.
“Anyone trying to convince you otherwise is using ‘security’ as an excuse to erode your freedom.”
A Growing Bipartisan Movement?
Though introduced by a Republican firebrand, Luna’s legislation taps into deep, bipartisan frustration with intelligence agency overreach. From the FISA abuse revelations to the NSA’s bulk data collection scandal exposed by Edward Snowden, the Patriot Act has become a symbol of the unchecked power of the federal surveillance machine.
Several progressives and libertarian-leaning Republicans have long called for reforms—or full repeal—of the law. Now, with Luna’s bill, those calls may gain new traction.
What’s Next?
Luna’s bill faces a steep climb in a Congress still deeply divided over national security policy, but it could force a long-overdue debate on the balance between liberty and security in a post-9/11 world.
As whistleblower reports and declassified documents continue to reveal rampant abuse of surveillance authority, momentum is building for a serious rollback.
