Pierre, S.D. (April 18, 2023) – Today the South Dakota Freedom Caucus has taken a stand against the RESTRICT Act, sponsored by SD Senator John Thune and has issued the following statement:

As a group committed to protecting the Constitutional rights of South Dakota citizens, the South Dakota Freedom Caucus is deeply concerned about the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act. While the Act is intended to protect national security, we believe that it could have a detrimental impact on the Constitutional rights of our citizens.

We believe that the RESTRICT Act could violate several Constitutional rights, including the Fourth Amendment right to privacy, the First Amendment right to free speech, and the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment. As we have previously stated, the Act would require certain technology companies to disclose their proprietary information to the government, which could potentially infringe on the privacy rights of citizens. Additionally, the Act would prohibit the use of certain technology products and services, which could limit the ability of citizens to communicate and access information, thus impeding the right to free speech. Furthermore, the Act could grant broad authority to the government to make determinations about which companies are allowed to provide certain technology products and services, potentially leading to arbitrary and discriminatory decisions and infringing on the right to due process.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

It is important to note that the sponsor of the RESTRICT Act, Senator John Thune, has a history of introducing legislation that infringes on the Constitutional rights of citizens. For example, in 2012, Senator Thune introduced a bill that would have allowed for warrantless surveillance of American citizens. The bill was widely criticized for violating the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Similarly, in 2017, Senator Thune introduced a bill that would have weakened protections for online privacy by allowing Internet service providers to sell users' browsing data without their consent. This bill was also met with widespread criticism for infringing on the privacy rights of citizens.

Previously the Supreme Court has challenged legislation introduced by Senator Thune that infringes on Constitutional rights. For example, in United States v. Jones, the Supreme Court ruled that warrantless GPS tracking of a suspect's vehicle violated the Fourth Amendment.

In conclusion, the South Dakota Freedom Caucus is deeply concerned about the RESTRICT Act and the potential impact it could have on the Constitutional rights of citizens. We urge Senator John Thune to reconsider his support for the Act and to uphold his oath to protect the Constitution and the rights of citizens. We also call on all citizens to remain vigilant in protecting their rights and to hold their elected officials accountable for upholding the Constitution.



Help Support The Dakota Leader... DONATE TODAY!

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-04-20 07:58:50

Last Update: 2023-04-20 10:36:29