Key facts
- The House will vote Thursday on a short-term extension of foreign spy powers until July 2.
- Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) expires Friday.
- Democrats oppose the extension due to President Trump's nominee for acting Director of National Intelligence, Bill Pulte.
- Pulte has no national security experience and has been criticized for past actions.
- Speaker Mike Johnson stated the House will act if the Senate cannot pass an extension before the deadline.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the House of Representatives will vote on Thursday on a short-term extension of the nation's foreign intelligence gathering powers, pushing the deadline to July 2. This move comes amid significant partisan opposition, particularly from Senate Democrats, who are linking the extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to concerns over President Trump's nominee for acting Director of National Intelligence, Bill Pulte.
FISA's authority is set to expire on Friday. While the powers allow the government to surveil foreigners abroad, critics argue that reforms are needed to protect American data that may be incidentally collected. Democrats have voiced strong objections to Pulte, citing his lack of national security experience and his past use of his position at the Federal Housing Finance Agency to make criminal referrals against perceived Trump opponents.
Johnson expressed frustration with the Senate's approach, calling it "political games" that endanger national security. He indicated that the House would proceed with a short-term extension under a suspension of the rules, which requires bipartisan support, if the Senate fails to act. However, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has stated he will not support an extension with Pulte in line for the acting DNI role. Jim Himes, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the Senate is in agreement and that an extension would not pass without a confirmed nominee.
President Trump has provided conflicting signals regarding Pulte's tenure, initially accelerating his timeline for taking the acting role but also stating he is interviewing other candidates. Johnson mentioned that the House had previously passed a longer-term bill with reforms, which the Senate is still considering. He emphasized the critical need for these surveillance powers, especially with major international events like the FIFA World Cup and other significant national events approaching.