Skip to main content
S 2903 113th Congress Senate

SPOT Act

Official title: A bill to reform the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, and for other purposes.

Introduced: September 18, 2014 Introduced by: Wyden, Ron Democratic · Oregon See on congress.gov
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Congressional oversightEmployment discrimination and employee rightsEvidence and witnessesExecutive agency funding and structure
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Federal officialsGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsIntelligence activities, surveillance, classified informationPrivacy and Civil Liberties Oversight BoardRight of privacySpecialized courts
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 18, 2014
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sep 18, 2014
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action September 18, 2014

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Strengthening Privacy, Oversight, and Transparency Act or the SPOT Act - Amends the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to expand the functions of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board to include reviews of legislation, regulations, policies, and executive branch actions relating to foreign intelligence.

Allows intelligence community employees, contractors, or detailees to submit to the Board a whistleblower complaint or information believed to be related to a privacy or civil liberties concern. Permits the Board to: (1) investigate such complaints, or (2) transmit such complaints to any other executive agency or the congressional intelligence committees.

Authorizes the Board to subpoena persons (other than agencies and elements of the executive branch) to produce documentary or testimonial evidence. (Currently, the Board submits a request for the Attorney General to issue a subpoena.)

Permits the Board, at the direction of the majority of its members, to exercise the authority of the Board chairman to appoint and fix compensation of Board staff when the position of chairman is vacant.

Provides for members of the Board to serve in a full-time capacity. Removes exceptions to the requirement that members continue to serve after the expiration of their term of office until a successor has been appointed and qualified. Revises the compensation of the Board chairman, members, and staff.

Directs the Attorney General to fully inform the Board about government activities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA), including by providing to the Board copies of: (1) FISA reports submitted to Congress; and (2) FISA court decisions, orders, and opinions that include significant construction or interpretation of FISA.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 2903: SPOT Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-2903/
MLA
"S. 2903: SPOT Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-2903/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 2903, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-2903/.
Markdown link
[S. 2903: SPOT Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-2903/)
Report a problem