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National Security Letter Judicial and Congressional Oversight Act

Introduced: December 16, 2005 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 16, 2006
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Jan 10, 2006
Referred to the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit.
Dec 16, 2005
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Dec 16, 2005
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

National Security Letter Judicial and Congressional Oversight Act - Prohibits a national security letter from issuing unless a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or a designated U.S. Magistrate Judge finds that: (1) the information sought is relevant to an authorized investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities; (2) such an investigation of a U.S. person is not conducted soley upon the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitution; and (3) there are specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the information sought pertains to a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power.

Requires the court established under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to establish an electronic system for the submission of documents and other information relating to such proceedings, and for the issuance of orders relating to national security letters.

Expresses the sense of Congress that, in the case of a challenge to a nondisclosure requirement of a national security letter, a certification by the Attorney General or other appropriate head or deputy head of a federal department, agency, or instrumentality that disclosure of such a letter may endanger U.S. national security or interfere with diplomatic relations should not be considered conclusive evidence but only a rebuttable presumption that such disclosure would do so.

Directs the Attorney General to establish minimization and destruction procedures to ensure that information obtained pursuant to a national security letter regarding persons no longer of interest in an authorized investigation is destroyed.

What's happening now February 16, 2006

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4570: National Security Letter Judicial and Congressional Oversight Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4570/
MLA
"H.R. 4570: National Security Letter Judicial and Congressional Oversight Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4570/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4570, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4570/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4570: National Security Letter Judicial and Congressional Oversight Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4570/)
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