A bill that would reauthorize a crucial national security surveillance program has been blocked by a conservative revolt, pushing the prospects of final passage into uncertainty amid a looming deadline.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill that would reauthorize a crucial national security surveillance program was blocked Wednesday by a conservative revolt, pushing the prospects of final passage into uncertainty amid a looming deadline. The legislative impasse follows an edict earlier in the day from former President Donald Trump to “kill” the measure.

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The bill in question would renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country to gather foreign intelligence. The reauthorization is currently tied to a series of reforms aimed at satisfying critics who complained of civil liberties violations against Americans.

  • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    8 months ago

    I can’t even remember the last time I was pleased by something the conservatives did, but this is good news as far as I’m concerned. This law was used to spy on Americans without a warrant when they make calls to people outside the country, and could also be used as a back door to retroactively search the information without a warrant. It has received criticism from many pro-privacy organizations and from the ACLU. Hopefully the awful Patriot Act gets revived reviewed(typo) next.

    • LovstuhagenOPMEnglish
      2·
      8 months ago

      That’s exactly right - so the conservatives do do something right.

      I also encourage all of us to be open minded on these things and to work with conservatives (or liberals if you are a conservative) when it comes to issues like this.

      The left and right who have principles have to unite against the center that has none whenever they can.

      • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        8 months ago

        You’re right of course, and it’s the only way a diverse democracy can function. What we’ve had for too long is not functional, it’s dysfunctional, or barely functional. We need to do a better job of understanding each other.