The response came after a “deeply concerned” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Va.) sent a letter to the agency’s director on Friday demanding answers.
“Has the NSA spied, or is the NSA currently spying, on members of Congress or other American elected officials?” he asked.
NSA Refuses to Say if Agency Spies on Members of Congress
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Va.) asked the NSA on Friday whether or not they spy on members of Congress. (Image source: Shutterstock)
But, in a statement obtained by CNN, the NSA failed to specifically address Sanders’ question or concerns.
“NSA’s authorities to collect signals intelligence data include procedures that protect the privacy of U.S. persons. Such protections are built into and cut across the entire process. Members of Congress have the same privacy protections as all U.S. persons,” the statement said.
“We will continue to work to ensure that all Members of Congress, including Sen. Sanders, have information about NSA’s mission, authorities, and programs to fully inform the discharge of their duties,” the statement added.
The news comes just days after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) announced on Friday that he is filing a class-action lawsuit against the NSA for “snooping on the American people.”