Passes Extension

• The U.S. Congress passed a 45‑day stopgap extension of a controversial law granting warrantless surveillance authority under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, giving lawmakers more time to debate limits on bulk data collection. • The extension narrowly averted an automatic lapse of the surveillance regime, which intelligence officials say underpins roughly half of the National Security Agency’s counterterrorism and counter‑espionage operations. • Civil‑liberties groups criticized the short‑term fix, arguing that the U.S. government continues to collect vast amounts of Americans’ digital communications without individualized warrants, while the White House pressed Congress to restore full Section 702 powers.

• Congress approved a temporary extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) ahead of the expiration deadline, avoiding a lapse in government surveillance authority. • The temporary extension allows additional time for lawmakers to negotiate a longer-term reauthorization of the controversial surveillance program. • The action reflects ongoing congressional debate over balancing national security needs with privacy protections in intelligence gathering operations.

• The U.S. Senate passed a 10-day extension of FISA authority on Friday, April 17, 2026, sending the bill to President Donald Trump's desk. • The measure averts a lapse in surveillance powers set to expire Monday, providing temporary continuity for national security operations. • This short-term fix highlights ongoing partisan debates over warrant requirements and reforms to Section 702 of FISA.