House Freedom Caucus Criticizes FISA Agreement

Any reauthorization made to the controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act “must be considered only with significant reforms and as a standalone measure,” the House Freedom Caucus said Friday in a series of demands on year-end legislation.

The statement follows an agreement made by House Speaker Mike Johnson with congressional leaders this week that would table reforms well into next year.

The deal would add a short-term extension of the nation’s warrantless surveillance powers in the Defense authorization bill.

The House Freedom Caucus said under “no circumstances should an extension be attached to ‘must pass’” legislation such as the Natrional Defense Authorization Act.

“The House and the Senate should have had a true conference negotiation” on the fiscal year 2024 NDAA — as the House voted to do, they added.

Under FISA, which expires Dec. 31, the government must prove to a judge that surveillance of an American is justified because it suspects that person of being a foreign agent.

The FBI in 2020 apologized to the secret court that handles national security investigations for the way it conducted surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser during the 2016 presidential election.

The House Freedom Caucus said it was “unacceptable that a predetermined deal reached by the ‘four corners’ behind closed doors has been air dropped into the process to undermine many of the most critical House GOP positions.”

“The members of the House Freedom Caucus are prepared to use all available leverage to change the status quo. We will not simply vote no on bad legislation and go home for Christmas,” the group warned.