The House advanced a new version of a bill to reauthorize American's use of warrantless surveillance, opening the measure up for debate, amendments, and a final floor vote after a previous iteration of the bill was blocked Republicans.
On Friday, House lawmakers voted 213-208 to advance the modified legislation, just days after 19 Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against advancing the original version of the bill to the floor.
Now, all of the initial holdouts flipped their vote to move the bill forward - after the length of reauthorization was shortened from five years to two, and an agreement to bring Rep. Warren Davidson’s (R-OH) Fourth Amendment is Not For Sale Act to the floor sometime next week in a stand-alone vote - which would require the government to obtain a warrant before purchasing information about US citizens from data brokers.
Edward Snowden also encouraged followers to vote for the "Biggs Amendment," which requires the government to obtain a warrant in general (not just when purchasing from data brokers), and against the "HSPCI Amendments," which "EXPAND mass surveillance instead of reforming it."
Snowden says that if the Biggs amendment fails, the whole thing needs to be killed with fire.
🚨⚠️🚨A vote for WARRANTLESS SEARCHES OF YOUR INTERNET ACTIVITY ("#FISA 702") is happening 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚. 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝗢𝗪 and tell your House Rep to vote:
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) April 12, 2024
1) 𝗙𝗢𝗥 the "Biggs Amendment" (which requires the gov to GET A WARRANT)
2) 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧 the "HPSCI… https://t.co/jA6N1yAse4
Follow the Constitution. Get a warrant. #FISA pic.twitter.com/x6XPlr4Gqz
— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) April 12, 2024
And of course, the White House is against the Biggs amendment to force the government to obtain a warrant...
The White House comes out against the bipartisan amendment to FISA renewal (they don’t specify, but this is the only one in the rules package led by Biggs) aimed at curtailing warrantless surveillance. https://t.co/5kyqu53Gz6 pic.twitter.com/xCM9msk1RD
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 12, 2024
Section 702 of FISA allows for the warrantless surveillance of foreigners outside of the US - which allows the government to sweep up communications from Americans who are interacting with individuals who are being spied on.
The 'Biggs Amendment' would add a warrant requirement before the government can review information collected on Americans.
The US Security State has been playing the same game for 25 years:
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 12, 2024
They get caught repeatedly abusing their spying powers, directing it at Americans for illegal and politicized ends.
They apologize, claim they adopted internal fixes, "won't happen again".
Everything repeats: https://t.co/0g0l4cuHxZ
Biggs and Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) got into a massive battle over the bill on X, with Biggs accusing Crenshaw of having "aligned yourself with the DC Cartel that insists on spying on Americans and violating the Bill of Rights."
You’ve aligned yourself with the DC Cartel that insists on spying on Americans and violating the Bill of Rights.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) April 12, 2024
President Trump, who you claim to support, said to “kill FISA” just days ago.
Join us in passing a reasonable warrant requirement amendment. https://t.co/tAaW1fY9oZ
Nope, the secret fisa courts should be done. You can get a warrant, I believed that this was built with good intentions after 9-11, not anymore , power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely… GET A Warrant
— jeff wylie (@Wylie93257) April 12, 2024
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