Cybersecurity Policy Report, Speaker Johnson Plans ‘Clean’ Extension of Controversial Surveillance Law, (Mar 17, 2026)
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) today said he would seek a “clean” 18-month extension of a provision of foreign surveillance law that allows what civil liberties advocates call “warrantless” surveillance.
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) expires April 20, and at least three bills have been introduced in Congress that would reauthorize it while adding new restrictions on how federal authorities can use information collected under section 702.
Section 702 empowers U.S. intelligence agencies to monitor the communications of foreigners who are overseas and considered national security threats. But Americans’ communications are often swept up in section 702 surveillance when they communicate with a foreign intelligence target, and those communications can be searched by federal authorities under certain circumstances without a warrant.
In line with what the Trump administration reportedly requested, Speaker Johnson today told reporters that he would ask the House to renew FISA section 702 for 18 months without any changes.
“My plan is to move a clean extension of FISA. As you know, FISA section 702 is responsible for the large measure of intelligence that we use to protect and keep Americans safe,” he said.
“It expires in April, and we're looking at that deadline and hoping that we can get a clean authorization done for at least 18 months. Now, why would we go that route? Because you remember last time it was up for reauthorization, we instituted 56 substantive reforms to FISA,” he explained.
“By every measure and review, those are working just as we planned,” he added. “We've not had the abuses that were happening before those reforms, and everybody in Congress understands the necessity of ensuring that we keep the homeland safe.”
Whether Speaker Johnson can persuade a majority of House members to accept a clean 18-month extension is unclear, as are the prospects for such a measure in the Senate.
Three bills have been proposed to reauthorize section 702, including one that is bicameral. The Government Surveillance Reform Act (HR 7901/S 4082) introduced last week by Rep. Warren Davidson (R., Ohio) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) would make substantial changes to section 702 (CPR, March 12).
Another bill introduced by three conservative House members, Reps. Andy Biggs (R., Ariz.), Elijah Crane (R., Ariz.), and Andrew Clyde (R., Ga.), the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act (HR 7816), would require authorities to obtain probable-cause warrants before searching or accessing Americans’ communications collected under section 702 (CPR, March 9).
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