Senate passes to reauthorize surveillance tool to combat terrorism

WASHINGTON (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - The Senate voted to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) overnight.

After defeating six amendments to expand privacy safeguards, senators initially missed the midnight deadline to reauthorize the legislation, but quickly voted 60 to 34 to pass the bill, extending it for two more years.

FISA supporters had warned that even a brief lapse of the law could have a detrimental impact on the intelligence-gathering process.

"All day long we persisted and persisted and persisted in hopes of reaching a breakthrough, and I'm glad we got it done. There was a great deal of doubt that we could get this done, but now we are on a glide path to passing this bill. Allowing FISA to expire would have been dangerous, it's an important part of our national security toolkit, it helps law enforcement stop terrorist attacks, drug trafficking, and violent extremism. This legislation has been carefully tailored and I'm ready to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to keep strengthening protections for American citizens. I thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their good work."

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader

FISA Section 702 now goes to President Biden, who has championed it.