Tester Against New FBI Plan

HELENA – Reports that surfaced mid-June show the FBI is planning to give agents new authority to investigate private lives of law-abiding Americans.

Under the FBI's new plan, 14,000 agents across the country would have authority to search through databases, use surveillance teams, and sift through trash, without keeping record of it.

Senator Jon Tester is calling on the agency to abandon these plans.

“We need to give our agents all the tools that they need to be successful in the field, but it doesn't mean we have to give up our Constitutional rights in the process. That's why I'm asking the FBI to back off on what they're doing, to make sure they get the kind of proper authorization to do the job that they need to do to keep this country safe,” said Tester.

Tester also opposes the Patriot Act and voted against an extension of the law in May.