President Obama announced steps to reform to the National Security Agency’s surveillance program at a news conference on Friday.
Democratic Congressman David Cicilline of Rhode Island agreed with the president’s effort to enact changes in domestic surveillance.
“I think certainly there are things we need to do to reform that program to properly balance the security interests of our country and the privacy interests of American citizens,” Cicilline said.
He did, however, laud the NSA’s efforts in the context of the reopening of the 18 of the 19 U.S. embassies and consulates that were recently closed across the Middle East and Africa.
“I think this is the work of really good NSA and security officials that work around the world to keep American citizens safe. They received information and responded to it.”
The fact that the U.S. embassy in Yemen will remain closed and that the embassies did close in the first place, is a “reminder that al Qaeda continues to be a threat to the safety and security of Americans and people all over the world,” he added.
Emily DeCiccio