This bill, had it been permanent, could have affected everyday Americans by changing how the government collects information, though it was primarily focused on foreign intelligence. While directly targeting non-U.S. persons abroad, some civil liberties advocates raised concerns about potential impacts on privacy for Americans whose communications might be incidentally collected. For most Americans, including those with low incomes, seniors, families, veterans, or people with disabilities, the direct day-to-day impact would likely have been minimal, as it did not propose changes to public programs or benefits. The main concern for citizens was the balance between national security and privacy rights, even for surveillance primarily conducted overseas.