House Shoots Down FISA Renewal After Trump Push

House lawmakers on Wednesday shot down a proposal to re-authorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a measure that would allow the FBI to secretly spy on Americans without warrants.

The bill sought to allow intelligence officials to use an FBI database to conduct surveillance of non-U.S. citizens overseas. However, critics argue that the bill does not protect the privacy of U.S. citizens and that the agency can also collect data from U.S. citizens who communicate with non-U.S. targets.

The bill was blocked in a 193-228 vote, with a total of 19 House Republicans voting against it.

Section 702 of FISA is scheduled to expire on April 19, the question of whether it will be reauthorized arose, leading to the vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who backed the measure, has said that lawmakers will “regroup and reformulate another plan” to protect the measure.

Johnson had urged the House to pass the proposal lest another extension of it be passed in the Senate, in which case the House would be forced to sign off on it with very little time to negotiate a new plan.

Prior to the vote, former President Donald Trump urged House Republicans to reject the reauthorization of the law.

In a post to Truth Social, Trump had warned Congress against the bill, saying that it was used to spy on him.

“KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME AND MANY OTHER,” Trump wrote.

Trump’s fears were echoed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who tweeted, “The Leader of the Republican Party just told the truth about the FISA bill that Speaker Johnson is bringing to the floor. Johnson already fully funded the DOJ that wants a death sentence for Trump, is he going to continue to give the deep state the tools to kill Trump?”

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) also stands against the bill alongside Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), whose biggest problem with the measure is that it provides a way out for congressmen.

“If the FBI is surveilling you using FISA, they’re going into this database and searching with your name, and you’re a congressman, and they’re ostensibly doing it for your own good because they’re worried about the foreign actors — they have to notify you, but only if you’re a congressman, only if you’re a senator or a U.S. representative,” he said.

“My solution here would just be get a warrant, and then you don’t have to put carve-outs for congressmen,” he added, proposing a fairer method for everyone.

Some other House Republicans who blocked the bill include House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-VA), Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA).