U.S. Senate votes to extend government surveillance tools
Send a link to a friend
[May 15, 2020]
By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate
comfortably approved a 2-1/2-year extension of parts of the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) on Thursday, two months after the
divisive provisions allowing government data collection expired.
The Senate backed the reauthorization by 80-16, far more than the 60
votes needed for passage.
The measure must be approved, however, by the House of Representatives
before it can be sent to the White House for President Donald Trump to
veto or sign into law. On Thursday, the Republican-led Senate amended
the measure approved by the Democratic-led House in March to improve
legal protections for those subject to surveillance.
It was not immediately clear when the House would vote. House members
were due to return to Washington on Friday to vote on a coronavirus
relief package.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/May/15/images/ads/current/humanesociety_sda022411.png)
The authorities that would be renewed until December 2023 cover the FISA
court's approval of warrants for obtaining business records, allow
surveillance without establishing that a subject is acting on behalf of
an extremist group - the "lone wolf" provision - and allow continued
eavesdropping on a subject who has changed cellular telephone providers.
Backers of the three provisions insist they are essential tools for
combating extremism and catching foreign spies.
But they face stiff opposition from privacy advocates, including liberal
Democrats and libertarian-leaning Republicans, who say they do too
little to protect Americans' privacy.
[to top of second column]
|
![](../images/051520pics/news_s37.jpg)
The U.S. Capitol building exterior is seen at sunset as members of
the Senate participate in the first day of the impeachment trial of
President Donald Trump in Washington, U.S., January 21, 2020.
REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger.
![](../images/ads/current/fitzpatrick_lda_SPONSOR_2017.png)
As it considered amendments on Wednesday, the Senate blocked by one
vote an amendment that would have prevented law enforcement from
collecting information on Americans' internet habits without a
warrant.
Republican Senator Rand Paul said in a Senate speech before the vote
that the legislation renewing the surveillance authorities
constituted "a false exchange of liberty for a false sense of
security."
The White House has not said whether Trump will sign.
Attorney General William Barr wrote the bill with congressional
Democrats and Republicans. But the Republican president recently has
resurrected in comments on Twitter his anger over the use of FISA by
Democratic former President Barack Obama's administration.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Peter Cooney)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/May/15/images/ads/current/christianvillage_sda_SPONSOR_042720.png) |