Update (1100ET):A key spy law could expire after the House blocked its short-term reauthorization.
The June 11 vote set back an effort to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
President Trump’s selection of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence drove Democratic opposition to reauthorizing Section 702.Some Republicans have voiced concerns about how the authority, though targeted at foreigners abroad, enables the incidental warrantless surveillance of Americans.
The White House could attempt to bridge the gap with an executive order.
In a June 6 letter to the White House, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) recommended such a course of action in anticipation of a possible lapse.
As American Greatness detailed earlier,The House ispreparing to voteon a short-term extension of a key federal surveillance program after Senate negotiations stalled, setting up a battle over national security authorities that are set to expire this week.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, announced Wednesday that the chamber will vote Thursday morning on a temporary reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, extending the authority through July 2.
The vote comes ahead of a Friday deadline and follows resistance in the Senate, where Democrats blocked efforts to quickly advance a similar extension.
“We’re not having a great amount of confidence that they’re going to be able to get that done,”Johnson said of the Senate.“So, the House will once again do our job.”
The push for a short-term extension gained momentum after President Donald Trump urged Congress to act following a meeting with Johnson earlier Wednesday.
Source: ZeroHedge News
