Senate Approves Two-Year Extension of Surveillance Law Immediately Following Expiration

The Senate approved an extension of a warrantless surveillance law known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in a late-night session on Saturday. The bill, which extends the controversial law for two years, passed with a vote of 60 to 34, despite fierce opposition from privacy advocates.

National security officials hailed the passage of the bill, emphasizing the importance of Section 702 in protecting the country from terrorist threats. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland praised the legislation, calling it “indispensable” to the Justice Department’s efforts to safeguard Americans from various threats.

However, the bill faced significant pushback from privacy-minded lawmakers who proposed amendments to add safeguards for Americans’ civil liberties. These proposed changes were swiftly rejected by the Senate, with Senator Mark Warner warning that any amendments would effectively kill the bill.

One of the defeated amendments would have required the government to obtain a warrant before accessing the contents of Americans’ communications collected under the program. Privacy advocates have long sought such protections, but national security officials argue that it would hinder the program’s effectiveness.

Despite the defeat of these amendments, critics of the law remain concerned about the potential for abuses and the impact on Americans’ privacy rights. The passage of the bill has reignited debates about the balance between national security and civil liberties, with many expressing frustration over what they see as a missed opportunity to strengthen protections for Americans.