As fractured House Republicans struggle to pass Ukraine aid and an all-important FISA reauthorization, House Republican leadership is eyeing a Plan B to reauthorize the country’s spying authority after a band of 19 GOP lawmakers blocked the legislation from advancing Wednesday. The plan under discussion would shorten the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) from five down to two years and bring the controversial package back before the House Rules Committee. Leaders are looking to bring the legislation through the Rules panel as a stand-alone bill untethering FISA from three other GOP bills opposed by Democrats. Still, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said Thursday that Democrats would absolutely not help Republicans pass the rule, even with FISA now set to be considered through a standalone rule. House conservatives revolted against GOP leadership and defeated a key vote on the floor Wednesday, the latest embarrassing blow to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) that comes after former President Donald Trump called on Republicans to kill the controversial surveillance law. The final tally was 193 to 228, with 19 Republicans bucking House GOP leadership and voting with Democrats to sink the procedural vote and take down a rule to govern debate on the reauthorization bill as well as several other bills.
The opposition from Democrats eliminates one of an already small list of options Johnson is weighing to break the impasse over the reauthorization of FISA Section 702 — a proposal Johnson had once opposed as a member of the Judiciary Committee, but now supports as Speaker. In one scenario, he could sidestep the need for a rule by putting the FISA bill on the suspension calendar, a fast-track mechanism that requires two-thirds of the chamber for passage. But that’s a high bar, and some FISA supporters fear it won’t be reached given the opposition from members of both parties to the government’s warrantless surveillance powers.
Following an address to a joint session of the House and Senate by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida where he asserted that his country stands with the U.S. at a time when history is at a turning point, the House convened to pass H.R. 524 – To amend the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to create an exemption for certain shoreline borrow sites and H.R. 2560 – Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2023, and will consider S-382 – Puyallup Tribe of Indians Land Into Trust Confirmation Act of 2023 before adjourning.
The Senate passed a Motion to proceed to executive session to consider the nomination of Ramona Villagomez Manglona to be Judge for the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands for a term of ten years before adjourning until Monday, April 15th at 3:00 P.M.
