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Tags: congress | fisa | reforms

Pressure Increasing on Congress for Broad FISA Changes

By    |   Wednesday, 15 March 2023 01:43 PM EDT

Pressure is building on Congress from both parties to use an end-of-the-year deadline on regulations (Section 702) permitting the gathering of electronic communications of foreigners abroad to make sweeping changes to not only the program but the broader Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Politico reported on Wednesday.

This despite the Biden administration's urging of Congress to reauthorize the regulation mainly as is, narrowing the focus of any changes to Section 702.

However, for many in Congress the problem with Section 702, which is meant to concentrate on surveillance of foreigners abroad, is that it also has the potential to sweep up the communications of Americans.

Other reformers are using the end of Section 702's authorization to seek changes in other surveillance programs, especially since this week is also the three-year anniversary of the expiration of another such program.

The efforts at such broader reform have bipartisan support, including a joint statement from Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat, and Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson, a Republican that raised a red flag over "backdoor" searches, particularly when government agencies go through already acquired data for information that was "incidentally" collected on Americans.

Their statement emphasized that "we must take this opportunity to reform Section 702 and overhaul privacy protections for Americans so that they truly protect the civil rights, civil liberties and privacy rights that are foundational to our democracy."

In addition, several outside groups, including Americans for Prosperity, Demand Progress and FreedomWorks, are sending a letter to the congressional committees with jurisdiction over the program request that they have hearings on the subject.

"Congress must approach its review of the 702 program and related intelligence operations with the same purpose as the original Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978: to rein in rogue intelligence agencies and ensure proper Congressional oversight," the group wrote in the letter, a copy of which Politico received ahead of its release.

The groups warned that potential surveillance loopholes must be searched for in the legislation, otherwise "intelligence agencies will develop novel interpretations of the law."

Brian Freeman

Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.

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Pressure is building on both parties in Congress to use a deadline on regulations (Section 702) permitting the gathering of electronic communications of foreigners abroad to make sweeping changes to the program and the broader Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
congress, fisa, reforms
339
2023-43-15
Wednesday, 15 March 2023 01:43 PM
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