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Members are divided over warrantless spying powers that have been used to target U.S. citizens.

Lingering disagreements over a controversial surveillance program had Senate leadership scrambling on April 19 to strike a deal before the midnight deadline to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

“We’re still trying to see if there’s a path to getting this bill done quickly, but disagreements remain on how to proceed. Our work is not done. So, we’re going to keep at it,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor.

“We want to get FISA done as soon as we can, because it’s very important for our national security. But as everyone knows, any one member can halt progress in this chamber. So, both sides need to fully cooperate if we want to get FISA done.”

If passed, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act would reauthorize Section 702 for two years. Proponents of the bill say it is crucial to protect national security.

“The threats to American security are flashing red,” Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said. “Our adversaries are as intent as ever on sowing chaos and violence, and a vote to send this critical legislation back to the House today is a vote to make their job easier. The Senate must not let Section 702 go dark.”

FISA Section 702 authorizes intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless surveillance on foreign nationals overseas. But the FBI’s rampant misuse of the tool to spy on U.S. citizens has alarmed those on both ends of the political spectrum.

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Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), rising to voice his objections to the bill, described it as “a very substantial and dangerous expansion” of the federal government’s warrantless surveillance authorities.

One provision of the bill, he noted, expands the list of electronic service providers that the federal government could compel to provide the communications of U.S. citizens who are suspected of having contacted foreign targets.

“You don’t have to change the targeting rules to threaten Americans’ privacy,” Mr. Wyden said. “If the government thinks that its foreign targets are communicating with people in the United States, they can go right to the source—the WiFi, the phone lines, servers, servers that transmit or store those communications.”

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) shared that concern, warning in an X post that the bill would “turn landlords and computer repairmen into spies.”

Disagreement Over Warrants

Republicans and Democrats alike have voiced support for requiring intelligence agencies to obtain a warrant—for which they would need to show probable cause to believe a crime was committed—to view the communications of U.S. citizens.

But Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) argued that adding such a requirement would “decimate the effectiveness of Section 702.”

“Section 702 provides the agility we need to stay ahead,” Mr. Cornyn said on the Senate floor. “Requiring a warrant for every inquiry into lawfully collected information in the 702 database would significantly hinder the ability to respond to emerging threats.”

The senator touted the measure before the Senate as a “reform bill” that, even without a warrant provision, addresses many of the issues that have been raised about Section 702 in its current form.

Specifically, the bill narrows the list of those allowed to authorize and search the FISA 702 database, prohibits the tool’s use to collect evidence of a crime, and institutes new requirements on applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that target U.S. persons. The measure also strengthens penalties for illegal inquiries and makes it easier for Congress to conduct oversight of the program.

Mr. Cornyn further charged that if Section 702 were not reauthorized, the United States’ intelligence capabilities would “take a hit—there’s no question about it.”

The White House has taken the same position on the bill.

Earlier this week, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan put out a statement applauding Senate leadership for “moving swiftly toward a vote” on the measure.

“This legislation, which passed the House with robust bipartisan support, ensures that the U.S. government has the tools to protect our national security while dramatically enhancing protections for privacy and civil liberties,” he said. “We call on the Senate to quickly send the bill to the President’s desk.”

The bill has already passed the House. If approved by the Senate, it will head to the White House for signing by the end of the day.

Joseph Lord contributed to this report.