A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican whose support will be critical to any reforms, criticized Obama.
“Much of any public concern about this critical program can be attributed to the president’s reluctance to sufficiently explain and defend it,” said the spokesman, Brendan Buck.
“Transparency is important, but we expect the White House to insist that no reform will compromise the operational integrity of the program,” he said.
Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon who has led calls for reform of surveillance out of concern for civil liberties, said that Obama’s proposals were “certainly encouraging.”
But Wyden voiced concern that Obama did not address another provision known as Section 702.
The Guardian newspaper, citing a document from Snowden, reported Friday that the measure allowed US intelligence to look at US citizens’ email and phone records through their contacts with foreigners, whose communications can be monitored without a warrant.
“I believe that this provision requires significant reforms as well and I will continue to fight to close that loophole,” Wyden said in a statement.
The American Civil Liberties Union also said that Obama’s reforms were insufficient and urged him to release decisions from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s court.
Obama voiced concern about the impact of the surveillance scandal on the image of the United States. US allies, especially Germany, have been livid at revelations from Snowden that the United States is spying on their nationals.
“American leadership around the world depends upon the example of American democracy and American openness,” Obama said.
“Because what makes us different from other countries is not simply our ability to secure our nation, it’s the way we do it with open debate and democratic process.”
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