Senate passes FISA surveillance reform bill, paving way for House passage

The Senate adopted a package of surveillance reforms its backers say will help rein in abuses, following an inspector general report that found fault with the FBI’s handling of an investigation into a former Trump campaign aide. The 80-to-16 vote paves the way for final House passage of the bill to renew the USA Freedom Act. The Democratic House leadership is assessing when to take it up, apparently. The law expired in mid-March, leaving the FBI without several surveillance tools it considers crucial, but the bureau was able to continue to use those powers in investigations that had already been opened. At the same time, liberals, who have been critical of the surveillance process since long before the Carter Page controversy erupted, have seen the bill as a vehicle to push for deeper surveillance reforms to protect civil liberties.

The House had passed the original package in March, but when the Senate finally took it up this week, it amended the bill to strengthen third-party oversight of the process used to obtain court approval for wiretaps and searches in espionage and counterterrorism investigations under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. The House must now take up the Senate version.