Congress Approves 45-Day FISA Extension in Close Vote
Congress passed a 45-day extension of Section 702 and sent it to President Donald Trump while disputes over a longer reauthorization and reforms continue.
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ABC NewsCongress passes 45-day FISA extension, sends to Trump for signature
Overview
The House passed a 45-day extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by a 261-111 vote and the Senate had earlier approved it, sending the measure to President Donald Trump for signature.
The short-term patch extends the surveillance program through June 12 and was approved just hours before an earlier short-term extension would have expired at midnight Thursday.
Privacy advocates and some lawmakers, including Rep. Jamie Raskin and Rep. Thomas Massie, criticized extending the program without reforms while Sen. Ron Wyden demanded declassification of a FISA court opinion, according to statements.
The House had passed a separate three-year reauthorization that included a Central Bank Digital Currency provision that Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate could not move.
Lawmakers face ongoing negotiations when Congress returns from recess, with the Senate scheduled to return on Monday, May 11 and the House returning the following day, and leaders saying the extension buys time to seek reforms.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this as a contentious trade-off between security and civil liberties by using evaluative words like 'divisive' and 'critical,' foregrounding critics' warrant concerns while still noting bipartisan votes. Editorial choices — lead placement, selection of Raskin and Massie quotes, and omission of detailed intelligence rationale — shape a skepticism-focused narrative.