Johnson faces GOP revolt over warrantless surveillance powers ahead of key vote

Freedom Caucus Chair Rep.Andy Harris talks to reporters as he walks to the House Chamber at the U.S.Capitol on July 2, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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Section 702 permits the federal governmentto conduct warrantless surveillance of foreign nationals abroad, even when those individuals are communicating with American citizens.

Conservative lawmakers — and many in the Democratic caucus — are pushing for an amendment to prohibit the warrantless surveillance of Americans.But when Democrats on the House Rules Committee tried to add an amendment from Rep.Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., incorporating warrant requirements, Republicans on the panel voted it down.

House Democrats are also not expected to supply the necessary votes during the anticipated procedural vote, which tends to be party-line.In that scenario, Johnson would be able to lose just a handful of GOP defections.

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Other Republicans, including Rep.Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., have pledged to vote “no” unless theTrump-backed election measure,known as the SAVE America Act, is added to the bill.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., pauses for questions from reporters as he arrives for a meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Feb.3, 2026.(J.Scott Applewhite/AP)

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Despite potential GOP holdouts, Trump has urged Republicans to “UNIFY” during the critical votes.

The Trump administration has warned about potentially catastrophic effects fornational securityif lawmakers fail to renew the program, especially as the conflict with Iran continues.

In a letter to Congress on Monday, Gen.Dan Caine said that “the loss or reduction of FISA Section 702 authorities would increase risk to the Joint Force, degrade our worldwide combat lethality, and significantly impair the U.S.security.”

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CIA Director John Ratcliffeattended a House GOP conference meeting on Wednesday to urge lawmakers to back a clean extension.

“There’s a lot at stake,�

President Donald Trump listens as Gen.Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks at Mar-a-Lago on Jan.3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla.(Alex Brandon/AP)

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Prior FISA skeptics have also touted the more than five dozen reforms that Congress made to the program in 2024 to justify their support for a clean extension.

“In light of the progress that has been made and the threats we face, we think a temporary short-term extension of the program makes sense,” Rep.Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said Tuesday.“But again, 2026 is not 2024 and a short-term clean extension of the 702 part of FISA law is an acceptable outcome for the situation that we find ourselves in.”

� Chad Pergram contributed to this report.