Congress Grapples With Spy Law Renewal as Deadline Looms

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire on April 20. Some lawmakers have signaled concerns with it.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Capitol Hill in Washington on Feb. 3, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

WASHINGTON—As Congress returns from its Easter break, lawmakers are preparing to navigate the renewal of a controversial surveillance law.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), set to expire on April 20, enables the government to conduct warrantless surveillance of foreign targets outside the United States that are thought to pose a threat to the country.