The House on Wednesday approved a three-year extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which gives the federal government the power to conduct warrantless surveillance of Americans.
The extension passed in a vote of 235-191, a day before its previous extension expires. The bill, in its current form, may not make it through the Senate because it includes a permanent ban on the Federal Reserve issuing a digital currency.
According to POLITICO, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said earlier this week that the digital currency ban was “not happening” as part of the Section 702 extension.
Section 702, which was first enacted in 2008, authorizes warrantless surveillance of non-Americans and allows the collection of a massive amount of data, including communications with Americans, which are stored indefinitely.
President Trump has been calling for Congress to pass the Section 702 extension even though his 2016 campaign was targeted under FISA. In one post on Truth Social, the president said he was willing to give up his “rights and privileges” to extend the spying power, an acknowledgment that it violates civil liberties.
“While parts of FISA were illegally and unfortunately used against me in the Democrats’ disgraceful Witch Hunt and Attack in the RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA Hoax, and perhaps would be used against me in the future, I am willing to risk the giving up of my Rights and Privileges as a Citizen for our Great Military and Country!” the president wrote on Truth Social.
In another post, Trump cited the war with Iran as a reason to extend Section 702. “With the ongoing successful Military activities against the Terrorist Iranian Regime, it is more important than ever that we remain vigilant, PROTECT our Homeland, Troops, and Diplomats stationed abroad, and maintain our ability to quickly stop bad actors seeking to cause harm to our People and our Country. The fact is, whether you like FISA or not, it is extremely important to our Military,” he said.
