The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday refused to extend provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until July 2. This comes amid the row over the president Donald Trumpdecision Bill Pulte successor as director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
As director of national intelligence, Pulte will be in charge of the spy agency. He is scheduled to take office on June 19. The FISA extension sought by the Trump administration failed in a vote of 198 to 218. Now, without congressional approval, the legal provisions granting sweeping powers to monitor foreigners’ phone calls, emails and other communications are set to expire on Friday.
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The vote involved FISA Section 702, which the U.S. House of Representatives noted was intended to “amend the FISA Amendments of 2008 to expand the authority of Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 and for other purposes.”
Among those who voted against the FISA extension were 19 Republicans. Here is the complete list.
Full list of Republicans who voted against FISA
Republicans who voted against the FISA extension are as follows:
- Lauren Boebert, Colorado
- Josh Brechin, Oklahoma State
- Tim Burchett, Tennessee
- Eric Burleson, Missouri
- Kate Carmack, Florida
- Michael Crowder, Texas
- Andrew S. Clyde of Georgia
- Elijah Crane of Arizona
- Warren Davidson of Ohio
- Troy Downing, Montana
- Russ Fulcher of Idaho
- Paul A. Gosar, also of Arizona
- Harriet M. Hagerman of Wyoming
- Mike Kennedy of Utah
- Thomas Massey of Kentucky
- John W. Rose, also of Tennessee
- Chip Roy from Texas
- Michael A. Rulli also from Ohio
- Keith Self, also from Texas
19 Republicans voted against it and 190 Republicans voted in favor. Among Democrats, 7 voted in favor of extending FISA and 199 voted against.
Before the vote, House Democrats said in a statement that “the clear motivation for his promotion is Bill Pulte’s demonstrated willingness to search government databases for alleged scandals involving President Trump’s chosen political enemies.” Pulte, a longtime Trump loyalist and former director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, said. During this time, he was known to launch investigations into Trump’s political opponents.
Now, despite this lapse, intelligence agencies can continue to implement the communications surveillance program until March 2027. That’s because the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has approved a one-year certification of warrantless surveillance tactics and procedures. However, without updated regulations, communications providers may stop working with the government.
That could lead to data gaps as the Trump administration must go to court to force compliance.
(Inputs from Bloomberg)
