Efforts to renew Section 702 surveillance powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) encountered a significant obstacle as House Republican leaders struggled to garner bipartisan support for advancing the debate. Lawmakers voted 193-228 against bringing up a bill to reauthorize Section 702, which is set to expire on April 19. This setback, the fourth since Speaker Mike Johnson assumed office, represents a major embarrassment for GOP leadership, highlighting divisions within the party regarding surveillance policies.
The failed vote comes despite earlier progress in the House Rules Committee, which advanced a rule allowing debate on amendments, including one requiring federal law enforcement to obtain warrants before searching the massive Section 702 database for information about Americans. However, concerns were raised about the precarious nature of kickstarting the debate, especially following former President Donald Trump’s call to House Republicans to reject the reauthorization bill.
Congressional sources are uncertain about the next steps. There is speculation about pushing the base bill through an expedited process, potentially without amendments, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage. Alternatively, there is discussion about passing a “clean” extension, ranging from 30 days to several months, to provide lawmakers more time to reach a compromise. House Republicans plan a special conference meeting to strategize on the path forward, indicating the complexity and urgency of resolving the Section 702 renewal issue.
