As emphasized by the AP agency, the Senate passed the bill on Friday in a hurry to prevent the services' powers from expiring at the last minute. Trump and Republican Party leaders pushed to extend the program on the grounds of national security concerns. According to critics, this solution threatens civil liberties.
The center of the debate is the so-called Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the National Security Agency (NSA), as well as the FBI, CIA, and other agencies, to collect and analyze vast amounts of foreign communications data without the need for a court order. During these activities, they may also intercept communications involving American citizens who are in contact with people who are the target of foreign surveillance.
Dispute in Congress and an interim solution
The president and Republican leaders originally requested an 18-month extension of the program without changes. On Thursday, Republicans in the House of Representatives proposed a five-year validity period for the regulations, supplemented with amendments intended to win over skeptics. When both versions failed, political leaders decided to adopt a temporary solution.
AP wrote that opponents of the program demand deep reforms. Their demands include, first of all, the requirement to obtain a court order before the services can gain access to e-mails, telephone conversations or text messages of US citizens.
The US President extends the act until April 30. The original document expired on Monday.
