House passes spy program reauthorization

WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives passed a measure Thursday to reauthorize a powerful government surveillance program despite concerns from privacy advocates. The vote to reauthorize FISA Section 702 for six years passed 256-154. Section 702 grants U.S. intelligence officers the ability to search through data collected on Americans while monitoring foreigners. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed concern it scuttles protections against warrantless searches and seizures found in the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Reps. Justin Amash, R-Mich., and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., offered an amendment that would have applied robust civil liberties protections, including requiring the government to obtain a warrant before searching through citizen data. It failed 183-233. President Donald Trump created confusion ahead of the amendment vote, posting conflicting statements on Twitter. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., took to the floor to urge members to block the amendment and reauthorize the spy program. “This is about foreign terrorists on foreign soil,” he said. Final passage of Section 702 now heads to the Senate, where Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has threatened a filibuster. “No American should have their right to privacy taken away,” he tweeted. The spy program began in the aftermath of 9/11 as a way to protect Americans from terrorism.