Enlarge / WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 31: US President Donald Trump meets with representatives from PhRMA, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, in the White House. (credit: Getty | Pool)
Update: The House has passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) to extend NSA surveillance authority for six years without significant new privacy safeguards. The vote was 256 to 164. Most Republicans supported the legislation, but it wouldn’t have passed without the support of 65 Democrats.
As recently as last night, the Trump administration was strongly in favor of legislation to renew one of the federal government’s most controversial spying powers. Known to insiders as Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, the law grants the government surveillance powers that are only supposed to be used on targets outside the United States.
Civil liberties groups say that the law can too easily be used to sweep up the private communications of Americans. And they’re backing legislation called the USA Rights Act to place new restrictions on the use of 702 spying powers—the House of Representatives was voting on that amendment as we published this story. Last night, the White House put out a statement condemning USA Rights.
Read 17 remaining paragraphs | Comments
