Speaker Johnson one step closer to renewing controversial spy program after conservatives fall in line

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., gestures as he meets with reporters ahead of a key procedural vote to end the partial government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb.3, 2026.(J.Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

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The successful procedural vote came after a sustained lobbying campaign from the Trump administration and Republican leadership to sellGOP privacy hawkson an extension of the spy law.

“This is by far the most collaborative effort that I’ve seen on FISA, and we’ve had a number of these kinds of fights,” Rep.Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, a leading FISA skeptic, told reporters earlier this week.“So I think it’s a very collaborative work product, and that’s why I say I support it.”

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“It’s not to say I don’t think there’s other reforms that I would support, but I think this is a good win, and we should focus on a broader set of reforms that apply way beyond the scope of 702,” the Ohio Republican added.

House conservatives also appeared to soften their opposition after leadership included language permanently banning central bank digital currencies (CBDC) in the procedural measure.

GOP privacy hawks have long pushed for adding a CBDC ban to a legislative vehicle, casting it as a necessary effort to ward off government surveillance.

But Senate Majority LeaderJohn Thune,R-S.D., has warned that any FISA renewal bill with CBDC language is “dead on arrival” in the Senate. 

“They know that,” Thune told reporters Tuesday, referring to House Republicans.

The Senate could also move to pass a rival FISA plan and force the House to swallow it ahead ofThursday’s deadlineto extend the spy law.

“FISA is critical to our national defense and our national security,” Sen.Mike Rounds, R-S.D.“If we lose FISA, we lose the ability to defend this country the way that it should be defended.We use that information to find out what the bad guys are doing, where they’re at, what they’re looking to attack, what their strategies are.”

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“I know we’ve got folks out there that are concerned about protecting Americans and so forth,” Rounds added.“We really need them to take a look at the other side of this, which is, are you going to hurt Americans?”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has warned the House from moving forward with a FISA renewal bill that includes a ban on central bank digital currencies (CDBC).(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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Johnson is also seeking to clear the Senate budget resolution as soon as Wednesday evening.

Leadership has scheduled a vote on the measure, but it is not clear if House Republicans will support the resolution without modifications.Democrats are expected to line up in opposition to the measure, citing concerns about funding immigration enforcement absent sweeping reforms.

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Rep.Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is still vowing to strip out controversial pesticide language from the farm bill, arguing it would block lawsuits against some pesticide manufacturers.

“On behalf of all the moms and dads that aren’t in office, I am not going to be bullied into supporting a bill that is providing protections and immunity to corporations that are responsible for giving children and adults cancer,” Luna wrote on social media.“This is literally above party affiliation.”

Rep.Anna Paulina Luna departed the U.S.Capitol following a series of House votes on March 5, 2026, in Washington, D.C.(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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Trump has urged House Republicans toquickly passthe Senate’s budget blueprint to fund immigration enforcement.

“It is imperative that Congress immediately fund DHS and its critical operations to protect the Homeland,�“Failure to pass the budget resolution will jeopardize paychecks for the DHS personnel that keep the Homeland safe.”