The U.S. Senate voted early Saturday to reauthorize the surveillance tools despite opposition from conservative and left-leaning lawmakers.
Bill to reauthorize Section 702 passed 60-34 Vote After six amendments were rejected. Support and opposition cut across party lines, with 17 Democrats and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vermont) joining 18 Republicans in voting first.Opponents point to privacy concerns, Wall Street Journal report. (Related article: ‘You’re an idiot!’: Glenn Beck launches nuclear attack as he slams Republicans who voted to expand spying powers)
Tonight, the Senate passed the House-passed FISA expansion bill after rejecting seven different warrant-required amendments and other FISA 702 reforms.
This is a terrible bill.
It shows an unreasonable disregard for the rights of Americans.
Today is not a day to celebrate.
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) April 20, 2024
The bill previously passed the House after an amendment requiring a warrant failed in a tie vote, 212-212. Vote, Those voting no include Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.A similar amendment failed 50-42. Vote in a bipartisan Senate.
Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia argued in a speech on the Senate floor that “this provision is essential to the work of the men and women of the intelligence community,” and that Section 702 “prevents terrorist attacks and protects against foreign espionage.” “We track people, expose economic espionage, protect our military, expose human and drug trafficking, stop sanctions evasion, and thwart foreign cyber attacks.”
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows the FBI to issue warrants to monitor communications by former President Donald Trump’s Carter Page and other associates during Trump’s successful 2016 campaign for the White House. The acquisition caused controversy. The application was based on evidence from the now discredited Steele dossier.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) granted the FBI in June 2022 under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to collect information on anonymous U.S. senators and other officials following a complaint by the U.S. Civil Service Bureau. The company issued a written opinion stating that it had unfairly used the authority given to it. Coalition for Freedom (ACLU); according to Just the News.
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