#FBI #FISA #surveillance Lawmakers split over renewing the FISA surveillance program — Donald Trump is pushing to extend federal spying powers, but a bipartisan group of senators is sounding the alarm about massive threats to American privacy. https://share.google/aimode/ZL70cM1BX9eenUcgu Lawmakers are deeply divided over the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 program, which is set to expire on April 20, 2026. While Donald Trump has urged Republican lawmakers to pass a “clean” 18-month extension, citing its importance in national security actions against Iran and Venezuela, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is raising alarms over its impact on American priv

#FBI  #FISA  #surveillance
Lawmakers split over renewing the FISA surveillance program — Donald Trump is pushing to extend federal spying powers, but a bipartisan group of senators is sounding the alarm about massive threats to American privacy.
share.google/aimode/ZL70cM1B…
Lawmakers are deeply divided over the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 program, which is set to expire on April 20, 2026. While Donald Trump has urged Republican lawmakers to pass a “clean” 18-month extension, citing its importance in national security actions against Iran and Venezuela, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is raising alarms over its impact on American privacy. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Developments in the 2026 FISA Debate:

Trump’s Reversal: Despite previously calling to “KILL FISA” in 2024, Donald Trump is now pushing for a clean 18-month extension of the program, arguing it is essential for the military.
Split Among Republicans: The push for a clean extension has caused tension within the GOP. Some House Republicans argue for reforms, specifically requiring warrants before authorities can access the communications of American citizens, a demand that has previously led to deadlocks.
Bipartisan Privacy Concerns: Senators such as Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Lee (R-UT) have criticized the lack of safeguards, warning that the program allows for warrantless surveillance of Americans and may be exacerbated by the use of AI for massive data scanning.
Intelligence Community Pressure: Supporters of the extension, including the CIA and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, argue that allowing the authority to lapse would cripple national security capabilities and that reforms in 2024 have already addressed many compliance issues. [2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Current Status:House Speaker Mike Johnson has attempted to advance a clean extension without amendments, but faces a narrow voting margin and potential rebellion from within his party. A bipartisan coalition is advocating for the Government Surveillance Reform Act, which would limit the government’s ability to buy American data from brokers and require warrants for searching U.S. person data. The Biden-era 2024, two-year extension of the program (RISAA) expires shortly, setting up a major showdown in Congress. [4, 5, 8, 10, 11]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1]  youtube.com/watch?v=bbYonh9F…
[2]  washingtonpost.com/politics/…
[3]  hklaw.com/en/insights/public…
[4]  congress.gov/crs-product/R48…
[5]  thehill.com/video-clips/5798…
[6]  chicagotribune.com/2026/04/1…
[7]  dailycaller.com/2026/04/15/u…
[8]  politico.com/live-updates/20…
[9]  nextgov.com/policy/2026/04/h…
[10]  epic.org/epic-endorses-bipar…
[11]  irsem.fr/en/strategic-brief-…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Apr 15, 2026