Bipartisan group of lawmakers seek to impose new limit on U.S. government spy power

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is seeking to impose a significant new restraint on law enforcement’s access to data gathered by the National Security Agency under a powerful authority that enables collection of foreign intelligence on U.S. soil. The measure, contained in a bill unveiled Oct 4 by the House Judiciary Committee, is likely to set up a clash with the Trump administration in the coming weeks as the legal power is set to expire at the end of 2017. The administration wants the bill to be renewed without change — and permanently. At the same time, civil liberties groups are arguing for stronger limits. The law in question is often referred to as Section 702, a portion of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act amended in 2008. Its renewal is the intelligence community’s highest legislative priority this year.