Congress Divided Over Renewal of U.S. Surveillance Program as Deadline Nears
Lawmakers clash over proposals to renew a controversial U.S. surveillance authority expiring April 20.
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2026 – A federal authority that allows U.S. intelligence officials to spy on the communications of foreign nationals is set to expire April 20.
Lawmakers remain divided over whether, and how, to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows U.S. intelligence agencies to collect communications from non-U.S. persons located abroad, often with the assistance of American telecom and technology companies.
Nearly a dozen House Republicans have opposed a clean extension of the law, with some calling for stricter warrant requirements before agencies can access Americans’ data. American’s emails, texts, or calls can be legally collected under the program, when communicating with a foreign target.
