By Alex Chen
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has secured support from several Republicans to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Johnson spent more than two hours persuading at least seven Republicans to change their votes.
Some Republicans have expressed concern that reauthorizing FISA would threaten American civil liberties. The reauthorization is expected to easily pass the Senate.
Section 702 permits U.S. intelligence agencies to gather communications of foreign targets abroad, but critics have long argued that it inadvertently captures Americans’ information. Americans who communicate with foreign targets may be included without consent, and privacy advocates across party lines have consistently called for warrants before intelligence agencies access data containing U.S. persons’ information.
Opponents of the surveillance tool cite past misuses, including FBI officials repeatedly violating their own standards while investigating intelligence related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and racial justice protests in 2020, as noted in a 2024 court order.
The law is set to expire Thursday, April 30.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tennessee) stated, “FISA needs to be gutted. Just start over—it’s not going to work.” “Nobody trusts it; it was used to spy on American citizens,” he added.
The Trump administration had supported reauthorizing FISA, contending it is essential for protecting U.S. citizens—particularly during hostage rescues and preventing terrorist attacks.
Last week, the Senate approved a short-term extension of FISA through the end of the month following a chaotic midnight scramble in the House to prevent its expiration.
Key modifications include provisions requiring that only FBI attorneys may approve searches involving U.S. persons and mandating that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence reviews such cases.
House Republican leaders had initially sought a five-year extension of FISA.
