Congress has taken a significant step towards extending the life of a crucial federal government surveillance tool known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The bill to reauthorize FISA’s Section 702 successfully passed through the House Rules Committee on Tuesday night, marking the final hurdle before it moves to the House for consideration. The bill passed with a 9 to 2 vote.
Section 702 of FISA allows the federal government to conduct surveillance on foreign nationals outside the U.S. without a warrant if they are suspected of having ties to terrorism, even if the communication involves an American citizen. Proponents, including national security experts and members of the intelligence community, argue that Section 702 is a critical tool in preventing terrorist attacks similar to 9/11.
