Congress passed a 45-day extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), avoiding an immediate lapse in the government's warrantless surveillance powers. The House approved the extension in a 261-111 vote, sending the bill to President Trump's desk. The Senate had earlier rejected a House-passed three-year extension that included a ban on central bank digital currencies, opting instead for the shorter extension to allow further negotiations.
The extension, set to expire on June 12, provides lawmakers additional time to debate reforms to the controversial surveillance program. The House's three-year extension included modest reforms and a digital currency ban, which Senate Majority Leader John Thune called a "poison pill." The Senate's clean extension was passed unanimously, with the House following suit in a bipartisan vote.
The Trump administration and members of both parties argue that Section 702 is a critical national security tool. Proponents of reforms have demanded warrant requirements for searching U.S. citizens' communications collected under the program. The extension comes after a previous 10-day extension pushed the deadline from April 20 to April 30.