The House Rules Committee advanced a modified version of a bill to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) on April 11. The rule, passed in an 8-4 party-line vote, is now set for a vote on the House floor. This legislation, derived from Rep. Laurel Lee’s Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, would extend the controversial spying authority for two years.
The modified bill’s progression by the Rules Committee follows the rejection of an earlier draft by 19 Republicans. These members, along with all Democrats, felt that the initial bill did not go far enough in reforming the system and protecting civil liberties. The reformed Section 702, established in 2008, allows intelligence officials to gather information on foreign actors operating outside the United States.
In response to reported abuses, Ms. Lee’s bill includes provisions to enhance the accuracy and completeness of applications targeting United States persons. It also aims to reduce the number of individuals authorized to perform FISA queries and prohibits the use of Section 702 for collecting evidence of a crime. Additionally, the bill strengthens penalties for illegal queries and improves Congressional oversight of the program.
Despite these reforms, privacy advocates are concerned that the bill does not adequately address past abuses. The absence of a warrant requirement remains a contentious issue among members of Congress. The fate of the warrant amendment is uncertain, as both supporters and opponents of the provision exist in equal measure across party lines. Please rewrite this sentence.
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