Mike Johnson pledges clean extension of government spy powers
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House Speaker Mike Johnson says he plans to move forward with a clean, 18-month extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Section 702, which expires in April, to maintain federal intelligence powers amid Iranian threats and potential domestic terrorism. He argues that the 56 reforms already enacted have reduced abuses and that a clean extension is necessary to protect Americans. Some Republicans want to pair the FISA renewal with the Safeguarding American Voter eligibility Act, which would require voter ID and proof of citizenship, while others insist on keeping the extension free of attached reforms. Several House Democrats have signaled they will vote against a clean extension, though some are awaiting a classified briefing before deciding. The debate reflects broader tensions over surveillance authority,civil liberties,and national security in the context of international and domestic threats.
Mike Johnson pledges clean extension of government spy powers amid Iran terrorism threats
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) plans to move forward with a clean extension for the federal government’s foreign spy powers amid threats of Iranian terrorist cells.
Johnson announced Tuesday he plans to move forward with a clean extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, despite a push to attach a voter identification bill or include reforms to the legislation.
“My plan is to move a clean extension of FISA, as you know, FISA and Section 702, is responsible for the large measure of intelligence that we use to protect and keep Americans safe, it expires in April, and we’re looking at that deadline and hoping that we can get a clean authorization done for at least 18 months now,” Johnson said at a press conference Tuesday.
“Last time it was up for reauthorization, we instituted 56 substantive reforms to FISA; by every measure and review, those are working just as we planned. We’ve not had the abuses that were happening before those reforms,” he continued.
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FISA, which allows warrantless wiretapping of non-citizens overseas and was last re-upped in 2024, lapses next month and is coming under a spotlight amid the Iran war and warnings of domestic terrorist cells ready to inflict revenge attacks. GOP rebels are promising to attach the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act, legislation requiring ID to cast a ballot and proof of citizenship to register to vote, to the FISA bill.
“SAVE AMERICA ACT MUST BE ATTACHED TO IT. UNTIL THIS IS DONE, I AM A NO ON THE BILL AND THE RULE, AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE!” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-L) said on X last week. “We gave Thune plenty of time to do the right thing.”
Some House Democrats have also pledged to vote against a clean extension.
“I’m just speaking for myself personally, there is no way I will support a clean FISA extension,” House Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Ted Lieu (D-CA) said at a press conference. “There is no way I’m going to give the Trump administration this mass surveillance authority. It’s not just a Trump administration, it is any administration, Democratic or Republican.”
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Others have shown some willingness to wait until a classified briefing scheduled for Wednesday before making a decision.
“Before we take firm positions, we’ll get the classified briefing, we’ll weigh in,” House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) said at a press conference. “If there are reforms that make sense for FISA, then I think there would be a willingness to look at those, but I understand the math is incredibly hard for the speaker. Counting votes and passing things is difficult for him. So, you know, we’ll see what the future holds.”
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