A key spy authority, Section 702, is expiring due to inaction in Congress. Here's what happens next.
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire due to political gridlock in Congress. The impasse stems from Democratic opposition to President Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, complicating the renewal of this critical foreign surveillance tool.
Why it matters
The lapse of this authority could significantly degrade U.S. intelligence capabilities, as the program provides a substantial portion of the president's daily intelligence briefings.
Washington - A key surveillance tool that lets the government collect foreign intelligence without a warrant is again at the brink of expiration. Barring an 11th-hour intervention, the spy authority, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, is set to lapse at 12 a.m. Saturday after President Trump's pick to oversee the nation's intelligence agencies complicated its renewal.
The article presents the legislative conflict and the arguments from both sides regarding national security versus civil liberties without taking a definitive stance.
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