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Speaker Johnson Works On FISA Overhaul By April Deadline

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – House Speaker Mike Johnson is urging two committees to resolve their differences and swiftly combine their conflicting bills to overhaul the government’s controversial surveillance law, according to The Washington Times.

The speaker is urging the conflicting Republican factions — the federal oversight watchdogs on the Judiciary Committee and the the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence — to resolve their differences and overhaul the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) ahead of an April deadline.

Critics of FISA argue that Section 702, which allows the government to extensively collect electronic communications to detect foreign threats, can inadvertently collect Americans’ communications for scrutiny without a warrant, even though it’s not meant to target them directly.

Many lawmakers, highlighting a history of abuse, contend that the authority necessitates reform. The contention lies in whether it should undergo minor adjustments or a complete overhaul, fueling a significant debate among them.

Lawmakers involved in the discussions have stated that the committees started meetings last week to integrate key parts of their respective bills into a new piece of legislation set to overhaul FISA which is set to expire on April 19.