House Panel Advances Revised FISA Reauthorization

(Dreamstime)

A House committee greenlighted a vote on a pared-down version of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reauthorization, following Republican opposition to an earlier iteration, The Hill reported.

The House Rules Committee endorsed the measure late Thursday, following a blockade by Republicans on an earlier version. This bill would renew Section 702 of FISA, permitting surveillance of foreign targets abroad, which incidentally collects data from American citizens.

The committee’s 8-4 vote ratified debate guidelines for the bill, slated for a House vote Friday. Amendments, including one mandating warrants for accessing Americans’ data, are also on the agenda.

Thursday’s emergency session followed Wednesday’s thwarted procedural vote, prompting revisions to the legislation. Negotiations appeased dissenting Republicans, resulting in a scaled-down two-year reauthorization instead of the initially proposed five years.

Republican support hinges on concessions from party leadership, including a commitment to vote on a bill mandating warrants for data purchases involving U.S. citizens. While some GOP members expressed tentative backing, others remained undecided or cautiously supportive.

House Democrats are unlikely to assist Republican efforts, necessitating near-unanimous GOP support for the bill’s passage. The margin for error is slim, with Republicans able to lose only two votes if all members are present.

Critics argue that the revised bill lacks substantial reforms to safeguard Americans’ privacy, echoing concerns that initially derailed the legislation. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., underscored the irony of conservative support for a bill they had previously opposed.

“Last night, they were lauded for saving the country because they had stopped FISA, and now it’s substantially and identically the same thing today. And all 19 are gonna vote for it,” he said.

Furthermore, the revised two-year timeline defers resolution to the next presidential term, despite both Trump and Biden previously endorsing FISA reauthorization. Trump’s contradictory stance on Wednesday, urging lawmakers to “kill FISA,” further complicates the landscape.

The legislation’s advancement underscores the ongoing debate over surveillance practices and privacy rights, with both sides grappling to reconcile national security imperatives with civil liberties concerns.