Give FBI Tools They Need to Stop Terror Attacks Before They Happen

Last week during a press conference, I discussed the importance of passing an amendment introduced by U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Richard Burr (R-NC) that would equip the Federal Bureau of Investigation with tools so they can stop terror attacks before they happen. The amendment would allow the FBI to obtain electronic communication transactional records in the course of counterterrorism and counterespionage investigations and also allow for the monitoring of non-U.S. citizen “lone wolf” attackers. 

It’s clear the Administration would like to talk about anything other than the threat of radical Islamic terrorism here in the homeland – going so far as to redact references in a 9-1-1 call by the Orlando shooter before they were finally embarrassed and shamed into releasing all of that transcript.

In order to respond to the threat, Senator McCain and Senator Burr do have an amendment we will be voting on tomorrow morning, which will provide the FBI additional information necessary to track these potential terrorists’ use of the internet and social media.

It will allow the FBI to collect the dots so they can connect the dots, and that’s been the biggest problem that they’ve had in identifying these homegrown, radicalized terrorists, like the shooter in Orlando.