The House of Representatives on Thursday will vote on whether to extend a controversial program of warrantless spying on internet and phone networks put in place by the National Security Agency that dates back to the Sept. 11 attacks.
Lawmakers will likely renew the statute, known as Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, but it isn’t clear whether they will vote on a bipartisan amendment that sets out to impose new safeguards to protect the privacy of American citizens, The Hill reports.
The USA Rights bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., would require the government to close “back door searches” and seek a warrant before querying the Section 702 database for information about Americans, prohibit the government from collecting communications about the target, rather than to or from the target, in non-terrorism investigations and, prohibit “reverse targeting,” by requiring a warrant when it appears a foreign entity is being targeted by surveillance because of his or her contact with Americans.
Supporters of the amendment think they have a good shot of getting it to pass.
“We don’t know, but despite the statements that they have the votes to bring it down, I don’t think they do,” Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, said of the lawmakers who oppose the privacy amendment. “I don’t think anyone can know for sure right now.”
The White House has urged lawmakers to vote no on the amendment.
“I think the underlying bill will pass. I think the amendment will be vigorously debated and at the at the end of the day it will not pass,” said Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., told The Hill.
But, he said, “It’s gonna be tight."
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