House vote to limit NSA spying alters trajectory of privacy debate

[Commentary] No one has worked harder than San Jose Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) to restore Americans' right to privacy and to protect Silicon Valley companies from the excesses of the National Security Agency. Rep Lofgren was a driving force in a major victory for Fourth Amendment supporters.

In a stunning, bipartisan turnabout, the House voted 293-123 to effectively block the NSA from conducting warrantless backdoor searches of Americans' communication devices. It fundamentally alters the NSA debate, which until now has been dominated by Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) view that when it comes to national security, individual rights go out the window. The House's power play affirms the value citizens of all political beliefs place on their right to privacy.