House Approves Expanded Spy Powers

House Passes Spy Power Extension The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a three-year extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a key intelligence collection authority, with a vote of 235-191. This action occurred one day before the provision's scheduled expiration. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where its passage is uncertain due to the inclusion of an unrelated, permanent ban on the Federal Reserve's ability to issue a digital currency.

The House-approved bill faces significant opposition in the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune indicated that the digital currency ban is not viable for inclusion in the spy law renewal. This disagreement between the chambers suggests the Senate is likely to pursue a short-term extension, potentially for 45 days, to prevent a lapse in the surveillance program. Such a short-term measure would then require House approval before the Thursday night deadline.

Section 702 permits U.S. intelligence agencies to target non-U.S. persons located outside the United States for foreign intelligence information, but it also incidentally collects data on Americans. Privacy advocates from both political parties have called for additional safeguards to prevent warrantless surveillance of U.S. citizens. The House bill includes clarifications on Fourth Amendment protections and increased penalties for privacy violations, addressing some of these concerns.