Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

President Biden has officially signed a bill extending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s (FISA) warrantless surveillance program for another two years.

The reauthorization, termed the “Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act,” was passed after intense discussions in the Senate, which voted 60-34 to send the bill to the President’s desk. This action came shortly after the midnight deadline, narrowly avoiding the expiration of a critical national intelligence gathering tool.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a significant breakthrough on the Senate floor, which prevented the program from lapsing. This legislation not only continues the government’s capacity to monitor foreigners abroad but also inadvertently captures communications involving Americans. Despite falling short of more stringent privacy protections advocated by some, the bill introduces several reforms aimed at enhancing the oversight and accountability of surveillance activities.

In a statement from the White House, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan praised the passage of the bill. He said, “The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act will retain essential authority to understand and protect against a wide range of dangerous threats to Americans while enhancing safeguards for privacy and civil liberties through the most robust set of reforms ever included in legislation to reauthorize Section 702.”

The bill’s passage in the House followed a failed procedural vote by a faction of GOP members, underscoring the contentious nature of the surveillance program’s extension.