WHAT HAPPENED: The House of Representatives passed a 10-day extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) early Friday morning, following a series of overnight votes in which a group of 20 Republican lawmakers demanding broad reforms to the surveillance powers derailed a longer extension. The Senate passed the stopgap extension later the same morning.

DETAIL: Section 702 of FISA allows U.S. intelligence agencies to monitor communications of non-citizens abroad without a standard warrant. It is seen by supporters as a critical tool for national security. However, some House Republicans are demanding reforms, including requiring warrants for surveillance to prevent potential abuses against U.S. citizens deemed to be in contact with foreign targets. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) initially pushed for an 18-month extension, but opposition from elements within the House GOP led to the shorter 10-day stopgap.

IMPACT: The short-term extension was passed unanimously by the Senate, preventing the surveillance powers from lapsing on Monday. “We just can’t afford to go dark,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on the stopgap, while recognizing that the fight over Section 702 will have to be resolved promptly. “[W]e’ve got to figure it out. Hopefully we can move the 10-day extension and then we’ll try and set things up to try to do something over here,” he said.

FLASHBACK: While President Trump has backed a long-term FISA powers extension, he has criticized them in the past after they were weaponized against him during the Russia collusion investigation at the beginning of his first administration. On Tuesday, he wrote on his Truth Social platform in support of a FISA extension, “While parts of FISA were illegally and unfortunately used against me in the Democrats’ disgraceful Witch Hunt and Attack in the RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA Hoax, and perhaps would be used against me in the future, I am willing to risk the giving up of my Rights and Privileges as a Citizen for our Great Military and Country!”