A six-year extension to the much-debated Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will soon be on its way to the White House for the president to sign after the Senate gave it a nod by a vote of 65 to 34.
The House passed the bill on Jan. 11, even after a pair of contradictory tweets from President Trump over his take on the proposed legislation momentarily threw lawmakers into confusion over his position.
"We're disappointed with the passage of the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act and the misleading statements supporters of the bill made about the collection of communications, the process by which these records are obtained by the FBI, and the alternatives offered by privacy-minded members of the House and Senate like Justin Amash, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, and others,” FreedomWorks Vice President of Legislative Affairs Jason Pye said in a statement.
While Pye said no one opposes the reauthorization, those “who actually believe that the Fourth Amendment means what it says wanted to ensure that Americans' privacy was protected.”
Calling the way the bill was passed “a disgrace,” Pye added, “when the Bill of Rights is at stake, there should open debate and an open process” that didn't happen with this legislation.
“The American people deserve better,” said Pye. "We urge President Trump to go with his gut and veto this bill."
