Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) called on April 14 for the House of Representatives to pass a clean, 18-month extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, following the Department of Justice’s agreement to revise its procedures regarding congressional attendance at Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court proceedings.
The issue is important because Section 702 is considered by some officials as a critical tool for national security and foreign intelligence collection. The recent changes come after concerns were raised about restrictions that limited Congress’s ability to oversee court proceedings related to surveillance activities.
“I applaud DOJ for lifting its restrictions on congressional oversight of FISC and FISCR proceedings. With Congress’s access fully restored, the Trump administration has faithfully implemented the reforms Congress called for in its last FISA reauthorization and proven its commitment to transparency and the protection of civil liberties,” Grassley said. He added, “Section 702 is one of our nation’s most valuable national security tools. Especially given the current threat environment, it’s imperative Congress doesn’t allow this critical authority to lapse. We must ensure American lives aren’t put at risk by a potential Section 702 expiration on April 20. The best path forward is for the House to pass a clean, 18-month FISA extension.”
The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA), signed into law in April 2024, required that select members of Congress be allowed oversight over these court proceedings. However, policies adopted in November conflicted with this requirement by imposing limitations on congressional participation and documentation during such sessions. The new DOJ policy removes several barriers: it eliminates provisions allowing exclusion from certain hearings; removes language barring information requests or sharing among cleared individuals; allows staff attendance alongside members; lifts note-taking prohibitions; supports overflow space if needed; and ensures whistleblower rights are not diminished.
Section 702 permits U.S. authorities to collect electronic communications from foreign nationals outside the United States but does not allow targeting Americans’ communications under this provision. According to a recent report from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, Section 702 offers more privacy protections than any similar program in U.S history, with positive effects noted since RISAA’s passage.
The Central Intelligence Agency has credited Section 702 with supporting operations such as preventing an attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, aiding seizures related to fentanyl trafficking from China and Mexico, providing warnings about North Korean ransomware attacks against Americans, assisting raids against criminal organizations like CJNG in Mexico, and alerting defense officials about ISIS threats targeting U.S soldiers overseas.
Grassley serves as Iowa’s longest-serving senator with experience on key Senate committees according to his official website. He has also worked as a factory laborer and served in Iowa’s state legislature between 1958 and 1974 according to his official website. Grassley continues farming corn and soybeans in Butler County while maintaining an active role assisting Iowans with federal agencies according to his official website.
