“We were very close tonight.
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Fight Over Clean FISA Section 702 Reauthorization
April 15, 2026
A conservative revolt in the House derailed President Trump's push for a clean 18-month reauthorization of FISA Section 702, the warrantless surveillance authority set to expire April 20. After Speaker Mike Johnson pulled the procedural rule vote on April 15 when it became clear he couldn't hold his caucus, leadership tried again on April 16 — but roughly 20 Republicans joined Democrats in tanking both a 5-year and the 18-month extension. In a chaotic late-night session, the House passed a 10-day stopgap extension through April 30 via voice vote at 2 AM on April 17. Rebels demanded warrant protections for Americans' communications and attachment of the SAVE America Act. Trump called FISA 702 vital for "SUCCESS on the battlefield," while civil-liberties critics from both parties — Raskin, Davidson, Wyden, Massie, Boebert, Luna — argued the administration had dismantled oversight safeguards. The fight resumes before April 30.
17
Statements Recorded
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17 Statements
“Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?
“We just defeated Johnson's efforts to sneak through a 5-year FISA authorization tonight. Now, they will have to fight in daylight.
“They have to deal with the FISA court's objection to the warrantless searches.
“I will be voting NO on final passage of the FISA 702 Reauthorization Bill if it does not include a warrant provision and other reforms to protect US citizens' right to privacy.
“I'm a NO on FISA as it stands. I'm a NO on the rule for FISA to boot. Swamp isn't happy but that's where I'm at. Pass the SAVE America Act and I MIGHT feel differently.
“The bill before us today leaves the Trump administration in charge of policing its own abuses of this sweeping authority that is going to be unacceptable to the American people who understand how our privacy rights and civil liberties are being trampled every day.
“FISA has been important for our country's national security. We've put some important much needed reforms in place the last time it was up for reauthorization and what President Trump has asked is that now we reauthorize it with those reforms in place. We're having some final conversations. Not all of our members are quite there yet.
“We feel like we need improvements. Obviously, we want greater protections for citizens with respect to warrants. We want to make sure that there's greater penalties, for example, for government officials who abuse their authority and power.
“It's the position that the speaker used to hold before he became speaker.
“This is a privacy issue. It's a very important tool, don't get me wrong, against terrorists. But you cannot, in my mind, continue to warrantlessly surveil U.S. citizens that don't have an immediate nexus or tie to some terrorists. We'll see... but I don't think the clean extension will pass.
“The extensive set of 2024 reforms to Section 702 have worked, sharply reducing past FBI abuses.
“Reauthorizing FISA Section 702 without reforms to protect privacy would be a major disservice to the American people. Promises made must be kept! I was encouraged by discussions tonight, but after a weak path through Rules Committee we shall see…
“The Speaker, who is a very nice man, is completely WRONG on his perspective of a CLEAN FISA Reauthorization WITHOUT SAVE AMERICA ATTACHED. Mike can and SHOULD tell the rules committee to attach SAA to FISA.
“Our Military desperately needs FISA 702, and it is one of the reasons we have had such tremendous SUCCESS on the battlefield, both in Venezuela and Iran. I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor. We need to stick together when this Bill comes before the House Rules Committee today to keep it CLEAN!
“The plan is to move a clean extension of FISA for at least 18 months. Last time it was up for reauthorization, we instituted 56 substantive reforms to FISA. By every measure and review, those are working just as we planned.
“There are multiple issues related to Section 702 that the American people and many Members of Congress have been left in the dark about, including a FISA Court opinion from last month that found major compliance problems.