Key facts
- Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has expired.
- The expiration occurred at midnight.
- The House of Representatives failed to renew the surveillance law.
- Lawmakers protested the appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence.
- Government surveillance powers will continue under existing certifications.
- These certifications extend surveillance capabilities until March 2027.
- Critics argue the law allows warrantless access to Americans' communications.
- This is the first time the surveillance law has lapsed.
Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a U.S. government surveillance law, has expired at midnight. The expiration is attributed to a failure in the House of Representatives to renew the law, stemming from lawmaker protests against the controversial appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Despite the lapse of Title VII, government surveillance powers are set to continue uninterrupted. This continuation is facilitated by existing certifications that extend these capabilities until March 2027. Critics of the law argue that these provisions allow for warrantless access to Americans' communications, raising significant privacy concerns. The law's expiration marks the first time such a surveillance authority has lapsed.