A bill to extend section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 for 3 years.
- Bill Number
- S. 4344
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-13: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate. (CR S2249)
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-14T18:51:07Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill (S. 4344) aims to extend the authority under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)—a law regulating government surveillance for national security purposes—for an additional 3 years, preventing its expiration.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 403(b) of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008:
- Updates expiration dates in two paragraphs from "two years after the date of enactment of the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act" to April 20, 2029.
- Makes a conforming change to the heading of Section 404(b)(1) of the same Act, replacing the prior expiration reference with April 20, 2029.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Replaces a prior 2-year extension (tied to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act) with a fixed expiration date of April 20, 2029, effectively providing a 3-year extension from the bill's approximate enactment period in 2026.
- No substantive changes to Section 702's surveillance rules; solely extends its sunset provision (automatic expiration date).
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Enables intelligence agencies (e.g., NSA) to continue warrantless surveillance of non-U.S. persons abroad for foreign intelligence without interruption, supporting national security operations.
- Citizens: Maintains incidental collection of U.S. persons' communications; no new protections or restrictions added.
- International relations: Sustains U.S. ability to monitor foreign threats, potentially aiding counterterrorism and espionage efforts.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Intelligence and law enforcement agencies (primary beneficiaries, e.g., NSA, FBI).
- U.S. citizens and residents (affected by potential incidental data collection).
- Non-U.S. persons abroad (direct targets of surveillance).
- Privacy and civil liberties groups (e.g., ACLU), who often oppose extensions due to oversight concerns.
- Congress (must revisit reauthorization by 2029).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Upholds Section 702's framework, previously upheld by courts but criticized for Fourth Amendment (search and seizure) implications in incidental U.S. data collection.
- Constitutional: Balances national security needs against privacy rights; no new warrants or reforms required.
- Political: Short-term extension (3 years vs. longer reauthorizations) may signal ongoing debates, introduced by Sens. Cotton and Grassley amid partisan divides on surveillance reform.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-13: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate. (CR S2249)
- 2026-04-23: Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S2249)
- 2026-04-23: Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
- 2026-04-20: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 373.
- 2026-04-17: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
- 2026-04-17: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- To extend section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 for 3 years. — issued 2026-04-20