Bernie Sanders rails against the Patriot Act's 'Orwellian surveillance'

In a Time op-ed, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) writes that he "voted against the Patriot Act every time" — and it still needs an overhaul.

Sanders' op-ed comes as a federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the NSA's phone surveillance program is illegal, a decision Sanders praises. He explains that while the U.S. must "do everything we can" to prevent terrorist attacks, the country should do so "in a way that also protects the constitutional rights of the American people."

Sanders goes on to criticize the "Orwellian surveillance" policies of the much-maligned Patriot Act, which went into effect after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks:

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The Patriot Act expires at the end of the month. Read Sanders' full op-ed over at Time.