--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What the USA Freedom Act did is it did…" description: "\"What the USA Freedom Act did is it did two things. Number one, it ended the federal government's bulk collection of phone metadata of millions of law-a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/ted-cruz-487_abiding_what-the-usa-freedom-act-did-is-it-did-t_1661647.png" --- # What the USA Freedom Act did is it did two things. Number… ![“What the USA Freedom Act did is it did two things. Number one, it ended the federal government's bulk collection of phone metadata of millions of law-abiding citizens.” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/ted-cruz-487_abiding_what-the-usa-freedom-act-did-is-it-did-t_1661647.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/ted-cruz-487_abiding_what-the-usa-freedom-act-did-is-it-did-t_1661647.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/ted-cruz-487_abiding_what-the-usa-freedom-act-did-is-it-did-t_1661647.png) > “What the USA Freedom Act did is it did two things. Number one, it ended the federal government's bulk collection of phone metadata of millions of law-abiding citizens.” [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The USA Freedom Act curtailed mass metadata collection, aiming to protect privacy while maintaining security. **In simple terms:** Law limited bulk phone data collection. Key Takeaway Support privacy‑focused reforms. Themes privacy security legislation surveillance Mood political analytical Type legislative controversial When to use this quote - Policy debate - law enforcement - public advocacy Key Concepts Civil liberties government oversight Questions to Reflect On - Is the act sufficient to protect citizens? - How can oversight be improved? A Different Perspective Balancing security and privacy remains contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abiding/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Collections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collections/) [Ended Federal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ended-federal-765829/) [Federal government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal-government/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-act-765828/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Bulk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-bulk-765830/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law abiding citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-abiding-citizen/) [Metadata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metadata/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-things/) [Usa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usa/) [Usa freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usa-freedom-199344/) ## Related quotes > [The USA Freedom Act expands that so now we have cell phones, now we have Internet phones, now we have the phones that terrorists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-usa-freedom-act-expands-that-so-now-we-have-cell-phones-now-we/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The USA FREEDOM Act ends the NSA's unfettered data collection program once and for all, while at the same time preserving the government's ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-usa-freedom-act-ends-the-nsa-s-unfettered-data-collection-program/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The USA Freedom Act does not propose that we abandon any and all efforts to analyze telephone data, what we're talking about here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/the-usa-freedom-act-does-not-propose-that-we-abandon-any-and-all/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [USA Freedom Act did, however, take away a valuable tool that allowed the National Security Agency and other law - and other intelligence agencies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/usa-freedom-act-did-however-take-away-a-valuable-tool-that-allowed/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [We understand the concerns that people have with not only protecting our values, but our privacy interests as well. We think that the USA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-understand-the-concerns-that-people-have-with-not-only-protecting/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There is nothing that we are allowed to do under USA Freedom Act that we could not do before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/there-is-nothing-that-we-are-allowed-to-do-under-usa-freedom-act-that/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [ We're looking at a president \[Barack Obama\] who's engaged in double-speak where he doesn't call radical Islamic terrorism by its name. Indeed, he gives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-re-looking-at-a-president-barack-obama-who-s-engaged-in-double/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ You know what the \[Barack\] Obama administration keeps getting wrong is whenever anything bad happens they focus on law-abiding citizens instead of focusing on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/you-know-what-the-barack-obama-administration-keeps-getting-wrong-is/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Self-Reliance is a prerequisite to the complete freedom to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-g-romney/self-reliance-is-a-prerequisite-to-the-complete-freedom-to-act/) [Marion G. Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-g-romney/) > [Without forgiveness, there can be no real freedom to act within a group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-de-pree/without-forgiveness-there-can-be-no-real-freedom-to-act-within-a-group/) [Max De Pree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-de-pree/) > [“Freedom...is the act of releasing ourselves from the bondage of that which keeps us from living the life we were meant to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-wilson/freedom-is-the-act-of-releasing-ourselves-from-the-bondage-of-that/) [Kelli Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-wilson/) > [What the Idaho Health Freedom Act says is that the citizens of our state won't be subject to another federal mandate or turn over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-otter/what-the-idaho-health-freedom-act-says-is-that-the-citizens-of-our/) [Butch Otter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-otter/) > [If explicit metadata is a real problem, it raises problems that just can't be solved. It's not that we're not good at it; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weinberger/if-explicit-metadata-is-a-real-problem-it-raises-problems-that-just/) [David Weinberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weinberger/) > [“You can keep the Office of Personnel Management records, I don't need Electronic Health Records, give me the metadata, big data analytics and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-senior-fellow-institute-for-critical-infrastructure-technology/you-can-keep-the-office-of-personnel-management-records-i-don-t-need/) [James Scott, Senior Fellow, Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-senior-fellow-institute-for-critical-infrastructure-technology/) > [“Dragnet surveillance capitalists such as Facebook, Comcast, AT&T and Google, unfortunately, supply these manipulating forces with an endless supply of metadata for this information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-senior-fellow-institute-for-critical-infrastructure-technology/dragnet-surveillance-capitalists-such-as-facebook-comcast-at-t-and/) [James Scott, Senior Fellow, Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-senior-fellow-institute-for-critical-infrastructure-technology/) ## More by Ted Cruz > [I was born in Cuba. At the age of 14 years of age I was involved in a revolution. We were suffering from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-was-born-in-cuba-at-the-age-of-14-years-of-age-i-was-involved-in-a/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I get that the media wants us to play theater critics and critique every other proposal. What I'm focusing on are my own policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-get-that-the-media-wants-us-to-play-theater-critics-and-critique/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Donald Trump threatened to file a defamation suit against me for running a TV ad that consisted only entirely of his own words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-threatened-to-file-a-defamation-suit-against-me-for/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The immigrant experience of all of us is what makes us Americans, because we value in our DNA liberty and opportunity above all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-immigrant-experience-of-all-of-us-is-what-makes-us-americans/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The First Amendment exists to protect our religious liberty--to ensure that all Americans are able to seek out worship God with all our hearts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-first-amendment-exists-to-protect-our-religious-liberty-to-ensure/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [It is my hope that all of the Republicans who recognize that nominating a candidate who agrees with Hillary Clinton on a host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/it-is-my-hope-that-all-of-the-republicans-who-recognize-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Senate Majority Leader has the unilateral ability to stand up and say, 'If you defy Congress, if you defy the Constitution, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-senate-majority-leader-has-the-unilateral-ability-to-stand-up-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [You can't get to a balanced budget and begin to pay down debt and thus create jobs in this country if you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/you-can-t-get-to-a-balanced-budget-and-begin-to-pay-down-debt-and/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [That's what actually caused me to run for office is, you know, my family story, the experience of growing up in a family where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/that-s-what-actually-caused-me-to-run-for-office-is-you-know-my/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When you subpoena one pastor, you subpoena every pastor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/when-you-subpoena-one-pastor-you-subpoena-every-pastor/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [One of the things we've seen here is how easy it is for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to get distracted from dealing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/one-of-the-things-we-ve-seen-here-is-how-easy-it-is-for-barack-obama/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Imagine a legal immigration system that welcomes and celebrates those who come to achieve the American dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/imagine-a-legal-immigration-system-that-welcomes-and-celebrates-those/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The court follows elite opinion, not public opinion. And Democratic leaders in Congress and Republican leaders in Congress follow elite opinion as well. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-court-follows-elite-opinion-not-public-opinion-and-democratic/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) [Explore all 523 Ted Cruz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) ## More Abiding quotes > [If there is an abiding theme in 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' it is the idea that you come into the world already shaped by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/if-there-is-an-abiding-theme-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-it-is-the/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) > [Why is it, my shadow-striding friend, that we don't fear dreams? We lose consciousness, lose control, things happen with no apparent logic and abiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/why-is-it-my-shadow-striding-friend-that-we-don-t-fear-dreams-we-lose/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [I think that there is just a deep and abiding sexism that's part of your life from the moment that you're conscious as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-w-garcia/i-think-that-there-is-just-a-deep-and-abiding-sexism-that-s-part-of/) [Liz W. Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-w-garcia/) > [Faith is the capacity of the soul to perceive the abiding, the invisible in the visible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baeck/faith-is-the-capacity-of-the-soul-to-perceive-the-abiding-the/) [Leo Baeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baeck/) > [I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A wicked mortal is not the idea of God. He is little else than the expression of error. To suppose that sin, lust, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-wicked-mortal-is-not-the-idea-of-god-he-is-little-else-than-the/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [When the penalty for a policeman's mistake is to put a criminal back out on the street, then we are hurting America; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/when-the-penalty-for-a-policeman-s-mistake-is-to-put-a-criminal-back/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [The value of a dollar is to buy just things; a dollar goes on increasing in value with all the genius and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-value-of-a-dollar-is-to-buy-just-things-a-dollar-goes-on/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The aims of these three groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-aims-of-these-three-groups-are-entirely-irreconcilable-the-aim-of/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [After more than two decades of trying to destroy the firearms rights of more than 80 million law-abiding American gun owners - and statistically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gottlieb/after-more-than-two-decades-of-trying-to-destroy-the-firearms-rights/) [Alan Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-gottlieb/) > [When you defile the pleasant streams, And the wild bird's abiding place, You massacre a million dreams, And cast your spittle in God's face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-drinkwater/when-you-defile-the-pleasant-streams-and-the-wild-bird-s-abiding/) [John Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-drinkwater/) > [How can we hope to retain our freedom through the generations if we fail to teach our young that our liberty springs from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-falwell/how-can-we-hope-to-retain-our-freedom-through-the-generations-if-we/) [Jonathan Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-falwell/) > [Love and friendship, two of life's abiding rewards, are endangered species in Hollywood. People crave both, mistaking alliance for friendship, lust for love, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/love-and-friendship-two-of-life-s-abiding-rewards-are-endangered/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/in-a-government-like-ours-the-crown-is-the-abiding-and-unshakable/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [I sometimes forget that life is fragile. The fact that I have more time to dream my dreams and take my ease is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-swindoll/i-sometimes-forget-that-life-is-fragile-the-fact-that-i-have-more/) [Luci Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-swindoll/) [Browse all 387 Abiding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abiding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What the USA Freedom Act did is it did two things. 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