Group of Republicans blocks FISA bill with spy powers deadline looming

[riversedge]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Emile (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The hill




by Rebecca Beitsch and Mychael Schnell - 04/10/24 2:19 PM ET


A group of House Republicans on Wednesday tanked a procedural vote to begin debate on a bill to reauthorize the nation’s warrantless surveillance powers, leaving the chamber scrambling on how to address the important spy tool before it expires next week.

Nineteen Republicans joined Democrats in voting against a rule for legislation to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), blocking the measure from advancing 193-228.

The move comes after former President Trump on Wednesday urged Republicans to “KILL FISA” — throwing a wrench in an already contentious debate.

The failed vote marks yet another instance of members of the GOP tanking what is typically a routine party-line vote to protest legislation put forward by leadership.

Led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and other MAGA-aligned conservatives, the group offered conflicting rationales for blocking the bill.

They were upset with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) for backing the legislation without a warrant requirement, even though their upheaval means the warrant amendment they insisted has broad support will no longer get a vote.......................................

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4585718-fisa-702-spy-powers-rule-vote/

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Link to tweet

[Midnight Writer]

1. Protect Trump at all costs. This is about Trump and Team's contacts with foreign powerbrokers.

They know he is a traitorous crook, and they will use any tool they can to ensure he is a successful traitorous crook.

[bahboo]

2. amazing that such a small group of assholes...

can cause such havoc....

[justaprogressive]

3. Surveillance without a warrant...

It should die..

Putin does surveillance without a warrant, let's not be like Putin.

[onenote]

4. It may be time to end the tradition of the minority party voting en masse against moving bills to the floor

For example, if and when the FISA bill reaches the floor, most Democrats will vote for it. But its a longstanding tradition for the minority party to rely on the majority party to get bills to the floor. I get why its done, but if this legislation truly is necessary as a matter of national security, having every Democrat vote against it being considered may be a situation where tradition should give way to expediency.

[Ford_Prefect]

5. It seems there is more than meets the headline to explain this one. Headline says it was Republicans who dumped this.

The facts appear to be different. It seems there were a significant number of Democrats who voted against it as well.

Nineteen Republicans joined Democrats in voting against a rule for legislation to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), blocking the measure from advancing 193-228.

The vote was over a rule that would have required a warrant for surveillance of Americans.

Section 702 allows the government to spy on foreigners located abroad, but that surveillance also sweeps in their communications with any Americans with whom they are in contact.

The issue of whether to require a warrant to access the information on Americans caught up in the surveillance has created strange bedfellows, with some members on both sides of the aisle uniting around an amendment they see as a safeguard for Americans, and others saying it would gut the program entirely.

The vote was to NOT include that requirement and those voting were 209 Democrats and 19 Republicans. So this is a misleading headline.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4585718-fisa-702-spy-powers-rule-vote/

[onenote]

6. It wasn't just a "significant number" of Democrats voting against the "rule"-- it was 209 no votes

and zero "aye" votes. Four Democrat didn't vote.
It's a tradition, but it may be one that should give way in some situations.

[Emile]

7. After an alert and discussion with the hosts, locking.

This is a duplicate of an earlier post.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143223713