House Speaker Mike Johnson has failed to gather support for reauthorizing a critical US surveillance program, raising concerns about the program's future. The program, authorized under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, compels certain businesses to wiretap foreigners on behalf of the government. The failed vote comes after former US president Donald Trump called for the program's termination. The Section 702 surveillance program, which targets foreigners overseas and collects US communications, is set to expire on April 19.
For the third time since December, House Speaker Mike Johnson has failed to wrangle support for reauthorizing a critical US surveillance program, raising questions about the future of a law that compels certain businesses to wiretap foreigners on the government’s behalf. Johnson lost 19 Republicans on Tuesday in a procedural vote that traditionally falls along party lines. Republicans control the House of Representatives but only by a razor-thin margin.
The failed vote comes just hours after former US president Donald Trump ordered Republicans to “Kill FISA” in a 2 am post on Truth Social, referring to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, under which the program is authorized. The Section 702 surveillance program, which targets foreigners overseas while sweeping up a large amount of US communications as well, is set to sunset on April 19. The program was extended by four months in late December following Johnson’s first failed attempt to hold a vote. Congressional sources tell WIRED they have no idea what the next steps will be. The program itself will carry on into the next year, regardless of whether Johnson manages to muster up another vote in the next week. Congress does not directly authorize the surveillance. Instead, it allows the US intelligence services to seek “certifications” from a secret surveillance court on a yearly basis. The Justice Department applied for new certifications in February. Last week, it announced they’d been approved by the cour
House Speaker US Surveillance Program Reauthorization Law Wiretap Foreigners Government Republicans Vote Section 702 Sunset Congress Intelligence Services Certifications Justice Department Court
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