The House Rules Committee advanced a bill reauthorizing warrantless U.S. surveillance powers late Thursday night, sending it to the floor a day after a group of Republicans blocked consideration of an earlier bill.
The Committee voted 8-4 to adopt the rules governing bill consideration as a measure to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire on April 19.
The program allows for warrantless surveillance of foreign nationals abroad, and the process also scrutinizes the communications of Americans who interact with those being spied on.
The House is scheduled to vote on the final bill and a number of amendments on Friday, including one that would add a warrant requirement before reviewing information the government collects about Americans.
The House Rules Committee will consider a revised version of the FISA bill Thursday night after a group of 19 Republicans forced a procedural vote on the original bill on Wednesday, preventing it from being considered on the floor. It reconvened an emergency meeting Thursday night.
But after Thursday’s negotiations, many hardliners said they would allow the bill to move forward subject to certain changes and commitments from leadership.
The new version would reauthorize Section 702 of FISA for two years, rather than the five-year schedule originally included in the bill.
The rules still include a vote on an amendment that would add a warrant requirement to Section 702, a key demand among privacy hardliners who say the full House should be able to consider the issue. be.
Republican pushbacks also say leadership is challenging a bill proposed by Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) that would require the government to obtain a warrant before purchasing information about Americans from data brokers. He promised to hold a vote.
These changes and pledges have led many Republicans to say they will support the FISA rules once they reach the House, or to signal that they are leaning in that direction.
“If nothing else, I’m fine,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R.S., said Thursday.
“I have a strong tendency to [vote for the rule]But I just look at the text,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) told reporters. “I think our postal code is correct.”
However, not all conservatives were ready to express full support. Rep. Cory Mills (R-Florida), who opposed the rule Wednesday, said he was undecided on voting procedures and told reporters he wanted to read the text first. And Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said he was “a little nervous” about the rule, but “maybe hold his nose and vote for it.”
Republicans have little margin for error. House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, R-New York, told reporters Thursday that Democrats would not help Republican leaders move forward with the FISA bill, meaning Republicans would have little time to make a final decision. He said this meant that unanimity would be required.
If all members attend, Republicans could lose just two members and pass the rules.
Fundamentally, however, the playing field remains largely unchanged from Wednesday, when 19 conservatives denounced the bill, citing complaints that it did not contain enough reforms to protect Americans. do not have.
“Last night they were praised for saving the country by stopping FISA, and today they’re doing essentially the exact same thing. And all 19 of us are going to vote for it,” said Rep. Thomas Massey. (R-Ky.) told The Hill.
“If they saved the world yesterday, they certainly won’t be able to save the world tomorrow.”
The change to a two-year schedule also ensures that the issue will be carried forward to the next president. Massey noted that both President Trump and President Biden already support reauthorizing FISA. President Trump signed the current version of FISA in 2018, which MAGA allies are seeking to reform.
President Trump muddied the waters on Wednesday by telling lawmakers that “FISA should be destroyed.”
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