Source: AFP
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Friday to reauthorize an electronic surveillance program targeting foreigners, a practice officials say is critical to national security but criticized by opponents over privacy concerns for American citizens.
The Republican-controlled House voted to reauthorize a section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, commonly known as FISA, by a bipartisan vote of 273-147.
A part of the program known as Section 702 allows US intelligence agencies to conduct electronic surveillance of foreigners outside the United States without a warrant.
While it is intended to be used solely for spying on foreign citizens — by monitoring email traffic and other communications — Americans’ messages can be obtained if they chat with the foreigners being monitored.
Concerns about potential abuses had drawn strong opposition from some Republicans and progressive, privacy-oriented Democrats.
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The renewal still requires approval by the Senate, where its prospects are unclear. If it fails there, it could expire next Friday.
The House vote came after strong opposition from former President Donald Trump, who hopes to defeat Democrat Joe Biden in the November election and return to the White House.
In a post on his Truth Social platform this week he urged lawmakers: “Kill FISA, it was illegally used against me and many others. They were spying on my campaign!!!”
He was apparently referring to wiretap warrants against a former Trump campaign aide obtained by the FBI in 2016 — under a different section of FISA — during its investigation into Russian influence in the US election. The FBI later said it had handled this matter properly.
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In any case, Trump’s online message this week appeared to have the desired effect, as a renewal vote failed on Wednesday.
But House Speaker Mike Johnson changed the terms of the program extension from five years to two, winning much-needed support from some far-right Republicans.
Supporters say the program is absolutely vital to national security and that safeguards are in place to ensure it is used only as intended.
A senior White House official in December urged Congress to renew the program, saying that with the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine and amid high tensions with China and the persistent threat of cyber attacks, it would be a dangerous time for “unilateral” disarmament .
Source: AFP