House struggles with surveillance measure amid deep Republican opposition

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will hold a key test vote Wednesday on whether to consider a bill that would reauthorize a crucial national security surveillance program, but the prospects were uncertain amid intense Republican opposition as well as an edict earlier in the day from former President Donald Trump to “kill" the measure.

The potential legislative breakdown comes months after a similar process to reform and reauthorize the surveillance program fell apart before it even reached the House floor. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has called the program “critically important” but has struggled to find a path forward on the issue, which has been plagued by partisan bickering for years.

The legislation under consideration would renew the surveillance program with a series of reforms meant to satisfy critics who complained of civil liberties violations against Americans. But Republican critics complained that those changes did not no go far enough, calling into doubt whether the bill backed by the Biden administration and Johnson would have enough votes to advance.

At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country for the purpose of gathering foreign intelligence. It is set to expire on April 19 if Congress does not act.