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The reauthorization secures what supporters call a key element
of the United States' foreign intelligence-gathering operation.
"Democrats and Republicans came together and did the right thing
for our country safety," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
said.
"We all know one thing: letting FISA expire would be dangerous.
It's an important part of our national security, to stop acts of
terror, drug trafficking and violent extreme extremism."
FISA has attracted criticism from both Republican and Democratic
lawmakers, who argue it violates Americans' constitutional right
to privacy. The bill was blocked three times in the past five
months by House Republicans bucking their party, before passing
last week by a 273-147 vote when its duration was shortened from
five years to two years.
The White House, intelligence chiefs and top lawmakers on the
House Intelligence Committee have warned of potentially
catastrophic effects of not reauthorizing the program, which was
first created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Although the right to privacy is enshrined in the U.S.
Constitution, the data of foreign nationals gathered by the
program often includes communications with Americans, and can be
mined by domestic law enforcement bodies such as the FBI without
a warrant.
That has alarmed both hardline Republicans and far-left
Democrats. Recent revelations that the FBI used this power to
hunt for information about Black Lives Matter protesters,
congressional campaign donors and U.S. lawmakers have raised
further doubts about the program's integrity.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; Additional reporting by
Brad Brooks in Longmont, ColoradoEditing by Shri Navaratnam)
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