Speaker Johnson Threatens to Enflame Controversy by Slipping Controversial Surveillance Reauthorization into Defense BillSean Moran 27 Nov 2023
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is considering putting a measure to reauthorize a controversial government surveillance law into a defense spending bill, which is viewed by some as “folding to Chuck Schumer’s agenda.”
Section 702 is a law that allows intelligence agencies to collect communications of targeted foreigners. It also may lead to targeted surveillance of Americans’ private communications, which privacy advocates consider a run around the Fourth Amendment’s requirement for a warrant to search Americans’ communications.
Section 702 will expire at the end of the year, setting up a high-stakes battle between privacy-oriented lawmakers and those sympathetic to the intelligence agencies.
However, despite strong conservative, progressive, and grassroots support for reining in Section 702, it appears that Johnson may end up putting a reauthorization of the controversial surveillance law in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/11/27/speaker-johnson-threatens-enflame-controversy-slipping-controversial-surveillance-reauthorization-defense-bill/Surveillance reform is not germane to the defense bill and could shutter his promise to follow “regular order,” which he made after becoming Speaker of the House.
A source familiar told Breitbart News that Johnson is considering putting Section 702 in the NDDAA and that conservatives would be disappointed if the Speaker sided with Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, over Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
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https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/11/27/speaker-johnson-threatens-enflame-controversy-slipping-controversial-surveillance-reauthorization-defense-bill/
