For immediate release | May 22, 2014

House-passed USA FREEDOM Act fails to fully protect Americans' privacy

91´«Ã½

Washington, D.C.—In response to today’s of the USA FREEDOM Act (H.R. 3361) in the House of Representatives, 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) President Barbara Stripling today released the following statement:

“The House’s action today sends a clear signal that the wholesale collection of Americans’ phone records in the interest of national security is fundamentally un-American, unacceptable and unlawful. Unfortunately, the version of the USA FREEDOM Act voted on today was just a shadow of the one introduced in the House. 91´«Ã½ calls on the Senate to restore the important privacy protections stripped at the last minute from the House’s bill, and to go further to truly protect all of our civil rights. For our more than 57,000 members, that fight starts today.”

About the 91´«Ã½

The 91´«Ã½ is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 57,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the 91´«Ã½ is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

Contact:

Jazzy Wright

Press Officer

Washington Office

jwright@alawash.org

202-628-8410