There is division among members regarding warrantless spying powers used to target U.S. citizens.
The Senate has reached a deal to vote on a series of amendments to a controversial spying program before it expires at midnight.
Disagreements over a controversial surveillance program had Senate leadership scrambling on April 19 to strike a deal before the deadline to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, urged lawmakers to oppose all amendments to avoid rendering Congress unable to reauthorize the program before it expires.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), advocating for changes to the program, criticized supporters of Section 702 for waiting until the last minute to reauthorize it.
If passed, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act would reauthorize Section 702 for two years, with proponents citing national security as a key reason.
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“The threats to American security are flashing red,” Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, emphasizing the importance of reauthorizing Section 702.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) expressed concerns about the bill, describing it as an expansion of the federal government’s warrantless surveillance authorities.
One provision of the bill expands the list of electronic service providers that the government can compel to provide communications of U.S. citizens suspected of contacting foreign targets.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) also raised concerns, warning that the bill could turn landlords and computer repairmen into spies.
Disagreement Over Warrants
Both Republicans and Democrats support requiring intelligence agencies to obtain a warrant, showing probable cause of a crime, to view U.S. citizens’ communications.
However, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) argued that adding such a requirement would hinder the effectiveness of Section 702.
He described the measure before the Senate as a reform bill that addresses issues with Section 702, including narrowing the list of those authorized to search the FISA 702 database and strengthening penalties for illegal inquiries.
Mr. Cornyn emphasized the importance of reauthorizing Section 702 to maintain U.S. intelligence capabilities.
The White House also supports the bill, with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan praising Senate leadership for taking up the legislation.
If approved by the Senate, the bill will be sent to the President for signing by the end of the day.
Joseph Lord contributed to this report.
Please rewrite the following sentence:
“The cat chased the mouse around the house.”
Rewritten: The mouse was chased by the cat throughout the house.
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