House approves short-term extension of surveillance tool after GOP revolt
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- The House approved a short-term 10-day extension of the controversial Section 702 surveillance program early Friday after Republicans rejected President Trump’s push for a longer renewal.
- Previous attempts to pass a five-year or 18-month extension failed due to opposition from about 20 Republicans and most Democrats, leading to a rushed late-night vote.
- Section 702 allows U.S. intelligence agencies to collect overseas communications without a warrant but has raised privacy concerns due to incidental collection of Americans' communications and past abuses.
- GOP leaders proposed revisions to increase oversight, including FBI attorney authorization and intelligence directorate review of queries on U.S. persons, but these changes did not satisfy all lawmakers.
- The Senate is expected to consider the short-term extension during a rare Friday session as Congress races to prevent the program’s expiration on Monday.
