Lawmakers push back on warrantless surveillance powers

(The Center Square) – Ahead of a scheduled House floor vote Wednesday, dozens of U.S. lawmakers are demanding that any extension of the federal government’s electronic surveillance powers include privacy protections for Americans. Echoing some of the concerns of Republicans in the House Freedom Caucus, a group of 53 Democratic lawmakers wrote to congressional leaders Tuesday, arguing that Congress “cannot hand this administration, or any administration, a blank check for warrantless surveillance.” At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows federal intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless electronic surveillance on foreign nationals of suspicion. In practice, however, the electronic data of American citizens – including emails, text messages, and phone calls – are routinely collected as well. Not only can intelligence agencies collect and store that data for up to five years, but