Justice Department and intelligence officials face a skeptical Congress as they push to renew a contentious surveillance law, in what could be a drawn-out battle between the Biden administration and lawmakers.
Intelligence community officials have walked a fine line in making their pitch, touting the surveillance power as a cornerstone of national security while seeking to reassure lawmakers that they understand the importance of protecting civil liberties.
But members from both parties say the government has misused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and argue that the reauthorization of Section 702 is an opportunity for changes. The provision expires at the end of the year.
Legislative movement now has started. The House Intelligence Committee last month announced the six lawmakers on a bipartisan working group focusing on Section 702’s reauthorization. And a House Judiciary subcommittee will hold a hearing Thursday entitled, “Fixing FISA: How a Law Designed to Protect Americans Has Been Weaponized Against Them.”
The contours of the debate already have emerged over the law, which allows the U.S. government to collect the digital communications of foreigners who are located outside the U.S.
“You can tell your department, not a chance in hell we’re going to be reauthorizing that thing without some major, major reforms,” Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah...
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