House will try again on reauthorization of US spy program after Republican upheaval

The United States House of Representatives is making another attempt to pass a bill that would reauthorize a significant national security surveillance program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This program, which is set to expire at the end of the year, allows intelligence agencies to collect foreign intelligence information on non-Americans located outside the United States.

The initial effort to pass a reauthorization bill was met with opposition from conservative House Republicans, leading to its failure in a vote on December 8, 2021. This opposition was due in part to concerns over privacy and civil liberties, as well as disagreements over the length of the proposed reauthorization period, which was originally five years.

In response to this setback, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced that the House will make another attempt to pass a FISA reauthorization bill this week, specifically on December 10, 2021. However, in an effort to address the concerns of GOP critics, Speaker McCarthy is reportedly planning to introduce a new version of the bill, known as Plan B, which would only extend Section 702 for a shorter period of two years instead of the full five-year term initially proposed.

The shorter timeline is expected to be a key selling point for this revised bill, as it may be more palatable to those who were opposed to the longer reauthorization period. Speaker McCarthy and other supporters of the program argue that a two-year extension would provide enough time for a comprehensive review and potential reforms, while still allowing for the continuation of essential intelligence gathering activities.

It is important to note that Section 702 is not without controversy, as it has been criticized by some for its potential impact on privacy and civil liberties, particularly in relation to incidental collection of data on U.S. citizens. However, its supporters argue that it is an essential tool in the fight against terrorism and other national security threats, and that proper safeguards are in place to protect American privacy.

The outcome of this latest effort to pass a FISA reauthorization bill remains uncertain, as it will still need to secure a majority vote in the House and then be taken up in the Senate for consideration. If successful, it would need to be signed into law by President Joe Biden before the current authorization expires at the end of the year.