U.S. House of Representatives Approves Extension of Internet Surveillance Law

On Thursday, January 21, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill to extend the law allowing the National Security Agency (NSA) to monitor internet communications without judicial warrants. According to Reuters, the bill passed with 256 votes in favor and 164 against. This vote reflects nearly a year of discussions in the U.S. Congress regarding the scope and methods of data collection by security agencies, spurred by Edward Snowden's revelations about extensive surveillance programs. The House's approval extends the NSA's surveillance and control measures for another six years with little change. Most lawmakers expect the bill to pass, but it must first be approved by the Senate and then signed by President Donald Trump. On Thursday, Trump commented on the bill, stating on Twitter that he has personally led efforts to clarify the law's objectives since taking office, emphasizing the need for monitoring and surveillance of foreign enemies and suspects. The mention of clarifying the law's objectives pertains to how the names of American citizens are disclosed in classified reports compiled by security agencies. Some conservative representatives, Republicans, and liberal Democrats have attempted to persuade other House members to include more provisions for protecting the privacy of American citizens in the law, such as requiring court orders for analyzing citizens' data that is automatically collected in this broad surveillance scheme. However, the White House, U.S. security and intelligence agencies, and Republican leaders in Congress have stated that this extensive surveillance and communication control is absolutely necessary and does not require changes or revisions. Without a vote and approval from Congress, the legal implementation period of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act will end next week, although security and intelligence officials say its enforcement could continue until April. Section 702 allows the NSA to monitor and control communications of foreign citizens over the internet through companies like Facebook and Alphabet, while also inadvertently surveilling communications of American citizens with suspected individuals residing abroad without the need for judicial warrants.