House Intel chair to host classified GOP briefings on FISA.
House Republicans to Hold Classified Briefings on Section 702 of FISA
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, will be holding a series of classified briefings for House Republicans on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act throughout the rest of July. These briefings come as members of both parties express frustration with the intelligence community’s use of the law.
According to a memo obtained by the Washington Examiner, there will be nine classified briefings starting on July 18 and continuing until July 28. The goal of these briefings is to provide an opportunity for members to hear classified examples of how the authority is used and have their questions answered directly by intelligence personnel who have worked with the tool.
Reauthorization and the Call for Reforms
Congress must vote to reauthorize the Section 702 program before the end of the year. However, key members from both parties, including Rep. Turner and the ranking member of House Intel, have expressed the need for significant reforms before they can support reauthorization.
In a statement, Rep. Turner emphasized the importance of national security but also stressed the need for substantial and meaningful reforms to address FBI abuses of the FISA process. The House Intelligence Committee is actively working with the Intelligence Community and a bipartisan group to propose and pass these much-needed reforms.
The Key Provision and Concerns
The 702 portion of FISA is a key provision that allows the government to conduct targeted surveillance of foreign persons located outside the United States, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
However, a declassified FISA court opinion revealed that the FBI had committed 278,000 FISA violations in recent years, raising concerns among members of both parties. Many believe that the FBI has not demonstrated the ability to use this tool while protecting Americans’ civil liberties.
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated, “We will not reauthorize FISA 702 unless the Bureau proves to Congress that it has implemented major reforms and establishes a transparent set of checks and balances to ensure that American citizens aren’t being unconstitutionally surveilled by the institutions designed to protect them.”
Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), the ranking member on House Intel, also emphasized the need for reforms alongside reauthorization. He specifically highlighted the importance of limiting the use of query terms for U.S. citizens within FISA Section 702 data collected by the National Security Agency.
It is clear that while reauthorization is necessary, there is a strong demand for reforms to address concerns about civil liberties and the proper use of this surveillance tool.
Click here to read more from the Washington Examiner.
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