WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill that would reauthorize a crucial national security surveillance program was blocked Wednesday by a conservative revolt, pushing the prospects of final passage into uncertainty amid a looming deadline. The legislative impasse follows an edict earlier in the day from former President Donald Trump to “kill” the measure.

The bill in question would renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country to gather foreign intelligence. The reauthorization is currently tied to a series of reforms aimed at satisfying critics who complained of civil liberties violations against Americans.

  • @GardenVarietyAnxiety
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    35 months ago

    I’d be okay with FISA if they could be trusted with it, but they’ve proven that they can’t. That being said, taking a sledgehammer to our norms isn’t the way to go about fixing it.

    We have the Government we built. We can change it the same way we built it or we can let the people with the sledge hammers take care of it.

    If you don’t like the sledge hammer method, find local groups that match your ideals and get involved.

    If you -do- like the sledgehammer method… Maybe don’t join a group?