House extends surveillance powers until April 30 after late-night revolt sinks GOP plan
Source: Associated Press
Politics
House extends surveillance powers until April 30 after late-night revolt sinks GOP plan
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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and fellow Republicans celebrate GOP tax policies at an event outside the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and LISA MASCARO
Updated 2:29 AM EDT, April 17, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House early Friday approved a short-term renewal until April 30 of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies in a post-midnight session after Republicans revolted and refused President Donald Trump’s push for a longer extension.
A new proposal was unveiled late Thursday that would have extended the program for five years with revisions. It was a departure from the clean 18-month renewal Trump had demanded and Speaker Mike Johnson had previously backed.
Lawmakers scrambled back to the Capitol as Democrats blasted the process, with many members flipping through pages of the bill on the floor as votes began. The effort collapsed when a key procedural vote fell short, doomed by GOP defections. ... “We were very close tonight,” Johnson said.
Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern kicked off a fiery floor debate late Thursday by asking, “Does anybody actually know what the hell is in this thing? ... “Are you kidding me? Who the hell is running this place?” said McGovern.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/congress-foreign-surveillance-fisa-spy-agencies-3dc3e84c3b9b03f52b84dfb3b01fc770
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