Speaker Johnson one step closer to renewing controversial spy program after conservatives fall in line
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is one step closer to averting a lapse in a controversial surveillance program after GOP privacy hawks fell in line to back a procedural measure...
By Fox News · Fox News
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is one step closer to averting a lapse in a controversial surveillance program after GOP privacy hawks fell in line to back a procedural measure amid weeks of infighting. House lawmakers approved a test vote teeing up a three-year extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for a vote on final passage as early as Wednesday evening. The procedural measure also includes a Senate-passed budget resolution funding immigration enforcement for the rest of President Donald Trump's term. GOP leadership held the vote open for more than two hours as they worked to flip dozens of conservative holdouts. In order to get the rule adopted, leadership agreed to punt consideration of a third piece of legislation known as the farm bill, which includes agriculture and nutrition priorities. Every Republican present ultimately voted yes during the marathon session in a major victory for Johnson. He could afford to lose just a handful of GOP defections given House Republicans’ razor-thin majority . HOUSE CONSERVATIVES SKEPTICAL AS SENATE DEAL SACRIFICING DHS SPENDING REACHED: 'NON-STARTER' The successful procedural vote came after a sustained lobbying campaign from the Trump administration and Republican leadership to sell GOP privacy hawks on 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." "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 curre…