House Speaker pledges to bring a separate measure to the floor that would block the U.S. from purchasing Americans’ information.
The House of Representatives passed a bill to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for two years. The bill, which is intended to allow the federal government to surveil foreigners abroad without a warrant, had already been voted down earlier in the week. Those who oppose the measure are concerned with the violations of privacy, while supporters see it as an important tool for national security.
The House Judiciary Committee supported an amendment, which was not adopted, that would have required a warrant before collecting Americans’ data. The House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees had proposed the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America (RISA) Act, which would narrow the scope of data collection. However, that bill failed because opponents said it did not offer enough protection.
The surveillance authorization, set to expire within a week, was challenged by members of the House Freedom Caucus to force a reconsideration of the bill on Monday, stopping the chamber’s approval from being sent to the Senate. In order to lift the block, House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana promised a measure would come to the floor for a vote that would prohibit the purchase of Americans’ information from data companies.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For wisdom for Speaker Johnson and leaders in the House of Representatives as they consider legislation to restrict government agencies’ purchase of Americans’ information.
- For members of the Senate to be discerning as they assess the benefits and risks attached to the reauthorization of Section 702.
Sources: Fox News, Daily Wire
