[
For months the FISA Section 702 reform legislation introduced by Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) to end warrantless surveillance of Americans and dissidents of the Biden administration and the Intelligence Committee's bill to reauthorize the controversial spying tool have been on the rise for months. The ongoing fight ended on Friday. When 126 House Republicans joined Democrats to renew FISA 702 by a vote of 273 to 147.
The final vote on Section 702 of the Foreign Surveillance Act was 273–147, with 126 Republicans in favor of deceiving the American people. The legislation was sent to the Democrat-led Senate, where it will likely be passed and then signed into law by Joe Biden.
However, tonight, the House of Representatives will vote on a resolution to reconsider renewing FISA 702, following a vote on a resolution requested by House Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH). Representative Laurel Lee (R-FL) called for reconsideration of the bill after it passed in the House on Friday, which received opposition from Turner.
Watch the votes live below.
Recall that Mike Turner, a staunch opponent of FISA reform to end warrantless surveillance of innocent Americans, sent a letter to colleagues earlier this year expressing concern over “an urgent matter regarding destabilizing foreign military capabilities.” Had to face criticism for doing so. Known by all Congressional policy makers.” According to Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN), who asked Speaker Johnson to investigate and potentially remove the House Intelligence Chair from his committee, this was an attempt by Turner to create unfounded concerns in pursuit of a “political agenda”. . Prevent FISA reform legislation from passing.
Friday's law allows US agencies to conduct surveillance of foreign targets overseas, but it has come under scrutiny because of its implications and past abuses in surveillance of US citizens. The vote demonstrated a bipartisan coalition, with 147 Democrats and 126 Republicans supporting the bill, while 88 Republicans and 59 Democrats opposed it.
Shortly before final passage, the House rejected a common-sense amendment from Representative Andy Biggs that would have required warrants to spy on Americans. 86 Republicans voted in favor of dictatorship, with Speaker Mike Johnson casting the deciding vote.
Biggs' amendment would end the FBI's ability to conduct surveillance on Americans and end the existing practice of collecting, storing, and digging up Americans' communications without a warrant.
Gateway Pundit previously reported that Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) is not giving up after a disappointing vote by RINOs, Democrats and Speaker Johnson on Friday and sent a letter to all 435 members of Congress on Monday to defend civil liberties. Requested to protect. , Follow the US Constitution and fix the current law to make it constitutional.
“I urge all members of Congress to vote 'no' on the motion to table a reconsideration,” the letter said. “I am specifically asking the 56 Members of Congress who supported and voted for Biggs Amendment #1 for the final passage of H.R. 7888, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, to vote on the resolution Cannot vote.”
House votes Monday at 6:30 PM to end FISA, which spies on Americans without a warrant – Call your representative today!… Number below
Recall that official intelligence documents show that the FBI illegally used FISA 278,000 times to spy on Americans, including President Trump, Trump donors, and his political enemies like the January 6th families. If Republicans in Congress continue to harass the American people and allow unreasonable searches and seizures of our private communications, the Biden administration and the FBI will have renewed authority to spy on Trump and innocent Americans, as they did before. Due to which elections will be held in 2024.
Andy Biggs called on his colleagues to “vote down Biden's expansion of the surveillance state” by adding the previously requested warrant requirement to FISA:
The House has one last chance to vote on expanding Biden's surveillance state.
We cannot reauthorize FISA without needing a warrant.#killfisa https://t.co/ltiB3utZ6V
– Rep. Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) 15 April 2024
Luna released the following video, where he criticized the two-tier spying program and its weaponization against Americans Commenting on,today we have the opportunity #killFISA, It needs to be amended to require a warrant for surveillance. Voting will start at 6:30 pm. Please call your representative and ask them to protect your Fourth Amendment.
Luna: (FISA) has been really responsible and I think has been accessed over a quarter million times, in addition to the fact that They actually changed this law for members of Congress, but not the general population, which means that if you are a member of Congress, you will be well informed by the FBI that you are being monitored. But if you are a normal person, you are not, so this is completely unacceptable.
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), in an interview with Maria Bartoromo this weekend, called on Democrats to vote again to break the tie and to “relinquish the power of the purse” in the latest spending package. Mike Johnson was also criticized for this. Senator Paul commented, “As I see it now, I'm not sure there's any difference between Mike Johnson being in charge and the Democrats being in charge.”
Paul: Americans should not be spied on by their own government. The Fourth Amendment was put in place by our Founders to protect us. FISA does not follow the Fourth Amendment. And so, Speaker Johnson was incredibly wrong. He broke the bond. He voted with the Democrats. Here we have the Republican leaders in the House voting with the Democrats against the warrant requirement. We also have Speaker Johnson, who is once again voting for a spending package with the majority of Democrats. As I see it now, I'm not sure there's any difference between Mike Johnson being in charge and the Democrats being in charge. The debt, the deficit this year will be $1.5 to $2 trillion, and this is Mike Johnson's bill. He put it forward, he supported it with the minority Republicans and the majority Democrats. This is not using the power of the purse. This is a violation of the power of the purse.
According to the Washington Examiner:
Monday's proposal to table a vote is the culmination of months of infighting within the Republican Party over how to reform the major surveillance program. Although House Judiciary Committee members and other privacy advocates won with a two-year expiration and a stand-alone vote on Representative Warren Davidson's (R-OH) bill, the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act, sometime this week. Ever since, House Intelligence Committee members and national security aides ultimately prevailed, with no warrant required and a mostly agreed-upon base text.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) faced severe backlash for the Biggs amendment, as the House tied at 212 to 212, causing the amendment to fail. Many members accused the Speaker of casting a “tiebreaker” vote, despite his office claiming that he was not the last member to vote on the amendment.
How the vote on the table swing resolution could affect whether the House needs to prepare for another FISA vote and whether Johnson needs to prepare for a possible motion to vacate office. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said before the vote that her decision to move forward with the resolution would depend on Johnson's approach to FISA and Ukraine aid.
Watch the House vote live at 6:30 pm ET below: