These past 2 hearings don't seem to intend to shed any light on this. They seem to be held to help protect whatever NSA is doing.
It's not whether each of us individually have something to hide: it's whether our politicians, our activists, our reporters, our lawyers, our doctors, our military, our police, our courts, our spies, our business leaders, our celebrities, our friends & family have something to hide.
Because if any of them can be manipulated by the data that is being gathered, then all of us lose.
In principle, members of congress do not have an interest to be monitored and spied on. However raising protest as an individual member can cause you problems, because the NSA can pressure you.
But if they act collectively, they might have a chance.
"If you believe the security of the realm is at risk
you don't hold a security enquiry, you call in the Special Branch.
Government security enquiries are only used for killing press stories."
- Yes Prime Minister S01E08
There are lots of other apposite quotes but I can't seem to find any just now.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: No. They have a right to be ignorant. Knowledge only means complicity in guilt; ignorance has a certain dignity.
Think of it this way: If you've been briefed on some supersecret surveillance since at least 2008, when the FAA was enacted, and you never raised a privacy alarm, what do you do when everyone else finds out? Do you say "I was wrong?" Or do you say "Nothing to see here, move along."