# Government Surveillance Reform Act of 2023
This comprehensive bill would substantially restrict U.S. government surveillance powers and expand privacy protections for Americans. The legislation targets foreign intelligence authorities, law enforcement surveillance tools, and data broker practices.
**Key Restrictions on Intelligence Agencies:**
The bill prohibits warrantless searches of Americans' communications collected under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, requiring a warrant instead in most cases. It bans "reverse targeting"—deliberately collecting foreign communications to access information about U.S. persons—and requires intelligence agencies to destroy Americans' data within five years unless it relates to active investigations. The bill extends Section 702 authority through September 2027 while imposing these new restrictions.
**Law Enforcement and Privacy Protections:**
The legislation requires warrants for accessing location data, web browsing records, search histories, and vehicle data. It prohibits law enforcement from purchasing personal data from data brokers and restricts use of cell-site simulators (devices that mimic cell towers to track phones), requiring warrants and limiting their area of effect. Email and electronic communications receive stronger warrant protections.
**Oversight and Accountability:**
The bill expands the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court's use of privacy advocates (amicus curiae) to review applications, requires more detailed public reporting on surveillance activities, mandates inspector general audits, and establishes consequences for federal employees who violate surveillance rules, including potential termination for willful violations.
**Funding and Timeline:**
The bill contains no new direct spending. Implementation timelines vary, with most provisions effective upon enactment or within 90-180 days, though some provisions have up to one-year delays for technical implementation.
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