Renewal of intelligence authorities sought by more federal officials

Congress has been urged by more Biden administration officials to reauthorize a surveillance program under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before its expiry by the end of the year, The Associated Press reports. Such a program has enabled the U.S. to obtain valuable intelligence into critical infrastructure-targeted ransomware attacks, as well as thwart potential terrorist acts, said officials. "The bottom line is that Section 702 gives us the intelligence thats necessary for us to stay one step ahead of our adversaries, and we cannot afford to let it lapse. So, it is time to sound the alarm. We must act with urgency, and that is why I am here today," noted Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen during a speech at the Brookings Institute. While Republicans are poised to renew the program, such support would be more difficult than ever to obtain amid increasing scrutiny on the program's surveillance powers, according to Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah.