Rachel Brand has written a brief and incisive article for The Hill calling for serious consideration of the surveillance policies needed to keep us safe. Let’s hope that tonight’s debaters will at least scratch the surface.

The recent terrorist attacks around the globe have sparked an important debate about whether U.S. intelligence agencies have the tools they need to combat terrorism.  After the San Bernardino attack, when some members of Congress asked whether recent restrictions on intelligence authorities had gone too far, critics cried foul, arguing that a terrorist attack shouldn’t be used as an excuse to roll back civil liberties. 

But we need a renewed discussion about whether the laws governing our intelligence agencies enable them to pursue terrorist threats nimbly and aggressively while also respecting Americans’ privacy and civil liberties.  The attack in San Bernardino was a reminder of what is at stake. 

Here's the rest of Rachel's article.