Security News > 2023 > December > Competing Section 702 surveillance bills on collision path for US House floor
Two competing bills to reauthorize America's FISA Section 702 spying powers advanced in the House of Representatives committees this week, setting up Congress for a battle over warrantless surveillance before the law lapses in the New Year.
The bipartisan bill reauthorizes Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for three years with reforms including requiring all US intelligence agencies to obtain a warrant before conducting a US person query.
This proposal also renews Section 702 - but notably without a strict warrant requirement, similar to another bill to reauthorize Section 702 in the US Senate.
While we'd assume that the FBI prefers the House Intelligence Committee's plan to reform Section 702 of the two options approaching a House floor vote, civil liberties, and digital privacy advocates aren't fans.
Someone else has a go at reforming US Section 702 spying powers - and nope, no warrant requirement FBI Director: FISA Section 702 warrant requirement a 'de facto ban' Uncle Sam snooping on US folks? Not without a warrant, lawmakers agree No new top boss at NSA until it answers questions about buying up location, browsing data.
For those keeping a running tally: There's also the much broader Government Surveillance Reform Act that seeks to reform Section 702 introduced in both the House and the Senate last month, although that proposal - which also includes a warrant requirement for US persons queries - is still awaiting committee votes in both chambers.