House Conservatives Tank FISA Bill in Blow to Speaker Johnson

Conservatives took issue with the surveillance bill’s lack of warrant requirement over civil liberty concerns. Trump earlier urged the GOP to ‘kill’ the bill.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) holds a press conference following a House GOP caucus meeting at the U.S Capitol in Washington on April 10, 2024. Samuel Corum/Getty Images

House conservatives on April 10 tanked a procedural vote to advance a surveillance power reauthorization bill in protest of its lack of warrant requirements. The development is another blow to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who already faces an ouster threat from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).

In a 193–226 vote, lawmakers decided not to advance Rep. Laurel Lee’s (R-Fla.) “Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act,” which would have extended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s (FISA’s) controversial Section 702 for a period of five years. The warrantless surveillance power is due to lapse on April 19.