Trump asks GOP to 'unify' ahead of vote on spy powers |
Trump asks GOP to ‘unify’ ahead of vote on spy powers
President Trump on Tuesday called for Republican unity in renewing the nation’s warrantless spy powers.
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) authorizes the government to spy on foreigners located abroad, but in doing so it can sweep up information on Americans who are communicating with the surveilled targets.
Trump has previously called for a clean extension of the powers, one that would not include any amendments.
“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!” he said of an upcoming vote to bring the bill to the floor.
In the past, some GOP members have sought to require a warrant before looking at any information collected on Americans. However, many prior vocal GOP advocates for doing so have since backed away from demanding such a measure.
Trump’s comments come as Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) announced he would be introducing an amendment on another priority topic for privacy hawks – banning the government from buying information from private data brokers.
“Reauthorizing FISA Section 702 without any reforms to protect privacy would be a major disservice to the American people,” Davidson wrote on X.
“I urge Congress to consider my amendment to close the data broker loophole and restore Americans’ Fourth Amendment protections.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said last month the bureau has been buying information from private data brokers, information that could allow the government to track things like cell phone location data.
The Supreme Court has required the government to obtain a warrant to get such information from carriers, but data brokers offer a loophole for authorities seeking such information.
“We do purchase commercially available information that’s consistent with the Constitution and the laws under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and it has led to some valuable intelligence for us,” Patel said when appearing at the Senate Worldwide Threats hearing.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also said Tuesday the bill would need to be passed in a clean extension.
“It’s going to be a clean extension,” Johnson told CNN and other reporters.
“If we put amendments on it, it jeopardizes its passage. And it’s far too important.”
Trump on Tuesday also shifted his tune in his attacks on FISA.
While he has previously broadly claimed the law was used to spy on his campaign, Trump noted that it was a different authority under the law that allowed for tapping the phone of his one-time campaign aide.
“When the Dirty Cop, James Comey, the failed Head of the FBI, went after me, he was using FISA Title I, the Domestic Collection, not FISA 702, the Foreign Collection, which needs to be extended today,” he wrote.
“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.”
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