House Freedom Caucus members are working on revised language to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, as the spy authority’s looming expiration continues to deeply divide the GOP conference.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said “some of the guys and gals in the Freedom Caucus — some of us more conservative folks who have seen the abuse of FISA” are crafting language.
“They’re trying to get to some common ground,” Burchett said, adding he has yet to see the proposal on paper.
The White House has been abundantly clear: They are only interested in a clean extension of FISA for 18 months. They aren’t open to other proposals from the Freedom Caucus or anyone else, for that matter.
The push comes hours after FBI Director Kash Patel and CIA Director John Ratcliffe briefed Republican lawmakers at the White House on FISA earlier Thursday. It was a “good meeting,” House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said.
The underlying math challenges for the GOP remain daunting. Democrats won’t help Republicans with a rule for consideration of the bill, meaning just two GOP defections could sink it.
“The majority is so small, and I think a rule is a heavy lift,” said Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.), the top Intelligence Committee Democrat who is supportive of the 18-month clean extension sought by President Donald Trump and Republican leadership. “I’m always open to reform. For me, a straight extension is the second-best solution.”
Republican leaders already punted on a planned FISA vote this week amid internal divisions over the future of the program. That means they’ll have to act the week of April 13 — following a scheduled two-week recess — in order to extend the program before its April 20 expiration.
“I haven’t seen any new text that’s been agreed to by everybody,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said. “We’re still having a lot of conversations with members.”
