WASHINGTON — Congressional representatives worked through the night Thursday into Friday morning to address a contentious intelligence surveillance authority that faces imminent expiration, with leadership summoning members back for an emergency late-night voting session.
GOP leadership introduced a modified proposal extending the surveillance authority for a five-year period with amendments — a departure from the unmodified extension that President Donald Trump had requested and that Speaker Mike Johnson had initially supported.
Democratic lawmakers criticized the rushed legislative process as votes were scheduled for the early morning hours Friday.
“Does anybody actually know what the hell is in this thing?” Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern said after the proposal was unveiled.
The legislative battle centers on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which authorizes intelligence agencies including the CIA, National Security Agency, and FBI to gather and examine extensive overseas communications data without obtaining warrants. This process can inadvertently capture communications involving U.S. citizens who communicate with foreign surveillance targets.
The legislation’s prospects have remained uncertain throughout the week as Congress grapples with the familiar tension between protecting civil liberties and addressing intelligence officials’ warnings about potential national security threats. The surveillance authority expires April 20 and requires Senate approval following House passage.
“There are a lot of opinions,” Johnson said earlier Thursday. “We want to make sure that we have this very important tool for national security, but we also do it in a way that jealously guards constitutional rights.”
