Congress periodically must renew Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — the law that allows the government to collect electronic communications of foreign targets abroad without individual warrants. That collection process can also sweep in the emails and messages of Americans who communicate with those foreign targets. This legislation moves the program's expiration date from June 12 to July 2, 2026, giving Congress about three more weeks to debate renewal or reform before the authority lapses.
Civil Liberties
- FISA Title VII surveillance authority — Extended through July 2, 2026, maintaining government collection of foreign-target communications that may include American contacts
Congressional Summary
This bill extends the authorities of Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until July 2, 2026.Title VII of FISA generally addresses electronic surveillance and other methods of acquiring foreign intelligence information that are directed at targets outside the United States. Title VII includes surveillance under Section 702, which concerns acquiring communications of non-U.S. persons believed to be outside the United States to obtain foreign intelligence information. Information about U.S. persons may incidentally be acquired by this type of surveillance and subsequently queried (searched) under certain circumstances.For additional information, seeCRS In Focus, IF11451 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA); andCRS Report, R48592 FISA Section 702 and the 2024 Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2026-06-10
- Date Added
- 2026-06-13
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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