emptywheel

Just kidding - I got mixed up. Substitute was adopted, and we are now on Conyers' amednment that would clarify some definitions and add a new reporting requirement (not sure what on). Voice vote and amendment is agreed to.

Poe Amendment now up - would remove exceptions to warrant requirement. There's a lot of commotion in the room with staffers rushing to talk to their members.

Conyers is opposing this amendment. He says he supports the underlying policy, but is concerned that it will kill the bill since, even if HJud reported it out, Ryan would never give it a vote. He also worries the drafting of the amendment is not implementable

Conyers cautions that the Committee can enact meaningful reform w bill more or less as is, or it can enact no reform at all if the Poe-Lofgren amendment passes.

Goodlatte also opposing the Poe-Lofgren amendment, citing that as drafted, it is unworkable, bc it requires FBI to determine if subject of query is a US person first, which it doesn't do and would substantially slow it's work (not sure that last part is true).

Goodlatte falsely argues that the Poe-Lofgren amendment would re-erect the wall. He & Conyers may be right that the amendment would kill the bill, which does have some meaningful reform, but this wall stuff is poppycock.

Lofgren supports (cosponsors) the Poe amendment. She disagrees that the amendment was poorly drafted. She also introduced three letters into the record on the Poe-Lofgren amendment.

Lofgren says that she will oppose the USA Liberty Act without the adoption of her and Poe's amendment.