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Senate leaders seek quick action on key surveillance authority

Ryan Tarinelli, CQ-Roll Call on

Published in News & Features

The warrant requirement was backed by progressive Democrats and staunch conservatives but opposed by intelligence-focused lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Backers of the amendment sought to drum up support for a push to reconsider the House legislation, but the House quashed that effort in a 259-128 vote Monday evening.

Several senators have supported legislation that would impose a warrant requirement.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in a statement Friday, pledged to do everything in his power to stop the House-passed bill, arguing it would allow the government to force any American who maintains or repairs “anything that transmits communications to spy on the government’s behalf.”

“The House bill represents one of the most dramatic and terrifying expansions of government surveillance authority in history,” Wyden said.

 

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, on social media was encouraging the public to lobby their representatives to support the push to reconsider the House bill.

“FISA 702 should not be reauthorized without a warrant requirement to protect Americans,” the social media post read. “Please ask your representative to vote “no” on the motion to table the motion to reconsider.”

“Politicians who love freedom don’t authorize warrantless surveillance of American citizens,” read another post. “Fix FISA 702. Or shut it down.”

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