Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), joined by democratic senators, speaks at a press conference on the partial government shutdown on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building on October 9, 2013 in Washington, D.C. UPI/Kevin Dietsch | License Photo

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Three U.S. Senate Democrats are sponsoring a measure they say would require greater transparency regarding National Security Agency surveillance.

Ron Wyden of Oregon, Mark Udall of Colorado and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland introduced the measure as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which the Senate is debating this week, The Hill reported Wednesday.


The amendment would require the Department of Justice to release rulings by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in which government agencies were found to be in violation of the Constitution or the law, the report said.

It would require the director of national intelligence to report to Congress on NSA surveillance activities, and to produce a public report with certain sensitive information redacted.

"I'm continuing to fight for comprehensive surveillance reform, but these #NSA reform amdts to the NDAA are action we can take now," Wyden posted on Twitter.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., has said the defense appropriations act is not a suitable vehicle for NSA issues, so it was not certain whether the amendment would get a Senate vote, The Hill said.