1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I'm writing as your constituent to urge you to cosponsor and support H.R. 9800, the Protection Against Mass Surveillance Act. This legislation would prohibit federal agencies from using automated systems that identify, track, or record people through license-plate readers, facial recognition, and biometric technology for persistent surveillance. It also bars state and local governments from using federal funds for such systems, requires deletion of improperly obtained data within 30 days, and ensures illegally collected information can't be used as evidence in court. The need for this bill is urgent. Networked cameras and biometric systems are turning routine movement through public spaces into searchable databases. Companies like Flock Safety have already built massive vehicle-surveillance networks that allow government agencies to track vehicles across jurisdictions without warrants. This infrastructure creates a searchable history of where Americans go, fundamentally altering the expectation of anonymity in public life. Privacy advocates including the ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation have long argued that warrantless mass surveillance violates Fourth Amendment rights and chills free expression. The Supreme Court has recognized that digital surveillance capabilities require new constitutional guardrails, yet we lack meaningful federal protections against automated tracking technologies. While the current version has bipartisan introduction, it needs more cosponsors to move forward. As someone who represents communities affected by surveillance overreach, your voice could help shift this from a narrow proposal into serious legislation. I understand there are legitimate public safety concerns. But there are less invasive ways to pursue those goals that don't transform entire cities into panopticons. The bill preserves law enforcement tools while protecting ordinary citizens from being treated as suspects in perpetuity. Please consider joining the growing number of representatives who recognize that mass surveillance threatens civil liberties regardless of political affiliation. I'd welcome a response about where you stand on this issue. Thank you for your service and attention to this matter.